JP2008001024A - Recorder and record control program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the ease of use at the time of executing digital photo-printing synthesizing frame images by operating operation buttons while looking at a displaying part such as a liquid crystal display equipped in a printer body. <P>SOLUTION: A preview image in which the frame image FL arbitrarily selected by a user is synthesized with an image of a digital image file arbitrarily selected by the user is displayed on the liquid crystal display 21. In a state while the preview image is displayed, either one of an upper button U, a lower button D, a right button R or a left button L is depressed, whereby only the frame image FL can be sequentially changed to another frame image FL while the image display of the digital image file of the preview image display is kept as it is. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a recording apparatus comprising: a user interface unit having an operation unit and a display unit; a recording execution unit capable of executing recording on a recording material; and an external storage device capable of reading and writing a digital image file. About.

  For example, as an example of the prior art for realizing that a frame image is superimposed on a digital image taken by a digital camera or the like and recorded on a recording material, a plurality of images are arranged so as to be arranged in a desired photographic image layout. One that generates a script (layout control program) including drawing control commands for each is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). By executing generation of recording data and control of the recording apparatus based on the generated script, digital photographic print (recording) in which a plurality of images are arranged in a desired photographic image layout can be realized.

  By the way, in recent years, small printers having portability that can be easily carried and can easily perform digital photo printing anywhere regardless of location have appeared and are becoming widespread. Such a printer generally performs recording on a recording material by directly connecting a digital camera to the printer, or directly reading a digital image file from a memory card and executing recording on the recording material. A direct print function is provided, and digital photo printing can be executed in a stand-alone state without being connected to a personal computer. Usually, in such a printer, in order to be able to execute a digital photo print in which a frame image is superimposed on a digital photo image taken with a digital camera as described above, data of a plurality of frame images is stored. It is stored in advance in a non-volatile memory inside the printer.

  A general user interface for combining a frame image with a desired digital photographic image in such a printer is, for example, by operating operation buttons while viewing a display unit such as a liquid crystal display provided in the printer body, The user selects any one frame image from a frame image selection screen displaying a list of a plurality of frame images stored in the nonvolatile memory. When an operation for selecting and confirming any one of the frame images is performed, a preview display of a print image in which the frame image is combined with a desired digital photograph image is displayed on the display unit. By viewing the preview display screen, the user finally determines whether or not to execute digital photo printing with the content.

JP 2003-114780 A

  However, since an image of a digital photographic image obtained by synthesizing a frame image cannot be known unless the preview display actually synthesized is viewed, the user who viewed the preview display screen can change the frame image to be synthesized into another frame image. You may want to change it. In this case, conventionally, after performing an operation of once deleting the frame image synthesized with the desired digital photo image, the screen returns to the frame image selection screen again to select another frame image, and again with the desired digital photo image. By looking at the preview display screen of the combined print image, it is determined again whether or not to execute digital photo printing based on the content.

  That is, conventionally, when executing a digital photo print that combines frame images, the selection of the frame image on the frame image selection screen, the display of the preview that combines the selected frame images, and the digital photo image of the combined frame image A series of operations such as deletion of a user must be repeated and repeated many times, and the operation is complicated and there is a problem in terms of convenience.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a situation, and the problem is that a digital photograph in which a frame image is synthesized by operating operation buttons while viewing a display unit such as a liquid crystal display provided in the printer body. The purpose is to improve convenience when executing printing.

  To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a user interface unit having an operation unit and a display unit, a recording execution unit capable of executing recording on a recording material, and reading and writing of a digital image file. External storage device capable of recording, a non-volatile memory in which a plurality of frame images are stored in advance, recording control on the recording material by the recording execution unit based on a user operation in the user interface unit, and control of the external storage device A recording control device that executes the above-described recording control device, wherein the recording control device combines the frame image arbitrarily selected by the user with the image of the digital image file arbitrarily selected by the user to the recording material. The frame composition function to be recorded and the frame image arbitrarily selected by the user to the image of the digital image file arbitrarily selected by the user The combined preview image display function for displaying a preview image obtained by combining the image and the display unit displays an image of the digital image file of the preview image displayed by the operation unit while the preview image is displayed on the display unit. The recording apparatus has a composite frame image switching display function capable of sequentially changing only a frame image to another frame image as it is.

  As described above, in a state where the preview image is displayed on the display unit, only the frame image can be sequentially changed to another frame image without changing the image display of the digital image file of the preview image display. As a result, when the frame image is changed while viewing the preview image display, the frame image selection operation on the frame image selection screen and the operation for displaying the preview that combines the selected frame images are performed as in the past. Need not be repeated alternately. Therefore, it is possible to execute a digital photo print in which a frame image most suitable for a desired digital photo image is selected and synthesized without repeating a series of complicated operations as in the prior art. In addition, since it is possible to change only the frame image to another frame image without changing the image display of the digital image file in the preview image display, the combined image of the frame image with the digital photo image is intuitively compared with a good tempo. can do.

  Thus, according to the recording apparatus described in the first aspect of the present invention, a digital photo print in which a frame image is synthesized by operating the operation buttons while viewing a display unit such as a liquid crystal display provided in the printer body. When executing, it is possible to intuitively select a frame image most suitable for a desired digital photograph image while comparing it with a good tempo without repeating a series of complicated operations as in the prior art. The effect that it can be improved is obtained.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the recording apparatus according to the first aspect described above, the composite frame image switching display function is performed without performing an operation of deleting the frame image that is compositely displayed on the preview image. The recording apparatus is characterized in that a frame image combined with a preview image can be sequentially changed to another frame image.

  In this way, in the state where the preview image is displayed on the display unit, the image display of the digital image file of the preview image display can be changed as it is, and the frame image can be changed to another frame image sequentially. The frame image combined and displayed on the preview image can be sequentially changed to another frame image without performing an operation of deleting the frame image displayed in combination. That is, when changing the frame image while viewing the preview image display, the selection of the frame image on the frame image selection screen, the display of the preview combining the selected frame image, and the digital photograph of the combined frame image are performed as in the past. There is no need to repeat a series of operations such as deletion from an image. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a function and effect that it is possible to execute a digital photo print in which a frame image most suitable for a desired digital photo image is selected and synthesized without repeating a series of complicated operations as in the prior art.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a user interface unit having an operation unit and a display unit, a recording execution unit capable of executing recording on a recording material, and an external storage device capable of reading and writing a digital image file. In a recording apparatus comprising a non-volatile memory in which a plurality of frame images are stored in advance, a recording control function to the recording material by the recording execution means based on a user operation in the user interface means and control of the external storage device A recording control program for causing a computer to realize a function, a frame composition function for compositing a frame image arbitrarily selected by a user to an image of a digital image file arbitrarily selected by the user and recording it on a recording material; Frame image arbitrarily selected by the user in the image of the digital image file arbitrarily selected by the user By the combined preview image display function for displaying the combined preview image on the display unit and the operation of the operation unit in a state where the preview image is displayed on the display unit, the image display of the digital image file of the preview image display is not changed. And a combined frame image switching display function capable of sequentially changing only the frame image to another frame image.

  According to the recording control program described in the third aspect of the present invention, the same operational effects as those of the invention described in the first aspect described above can be brought to any recording apparatus that can execute the recording control program. it can.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
First, the configuration of an inkjet printer 50 as a “recording apparatus” according to the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an ink jet printer 50 as a “recording apparatus” according to the present invention.

  The inkjet printer 50 includes a rectangular box-shaped main body casing 1 as shown in the figure. The main body casing 1 closes the upper surface of the main body casing 1 when being carried, and a cover member 6 that also functions as a paper support for the feeding tray 4 when being used (FIG. 1), and an upper portion of the main body casing 1. The front panel 7 that is disposed at the bottom of the cover member 6 in the state of carrying and the front of the main body casing 1 is opened so as to be openable and closable so as to close the front opening. A discharge stacker 5 that also serves as a cover and a portal handle 8 that is connected to the left and right side surfaces of the main body casing 1 in a rotatable state.

  The top panel 7 is provided with an operation panel 10 as “user interface means” having a liquid crystal display 21 as a “display unit” and operation buttons as an “operation unit”. The liquid crystal display 21 can be switched between a horizontal posture tilted backward and a standing posture or an inclined posture caused upward. A central portion of the rear portion of the top panel 7 is cut out in a rectangular shape as shown in the drawing, and the portion feeds the recording paper P as a “recording material” to the automatic feeding unit 2. The opening 3 is used. Further, the discharge stacker 5 is provided with a pivot fulcrum at the lower left and right corners, and can be pivoted up and down over a range of about 90 ° around the pivot fulcrum. An “external storage device” is disposed above the front opening of the main casing 1 so that a “storage medium” such as a memory card storing a digital image file or the like can be inserted with the discharge stacker 5 opened. A memory card slot 9 is provided.

  When the user operates the operation panel 10 from the state in which the recording paper P is set and performs a recording execution operation on the recording paper P with respect to the ink jet printer 50 having such a configuration, a “recording control device” which will be described later. Is executed. First, the recording paper P is fed from the feeding opening 3 toward the paper conveyance path (not shown) in the inkjet printer 50 by the automatic feeding unit 2. The recording paper P fed to the paper transport path is guided toward the recording position, and is transported by receiving a driving force from a transport roller (not shown) in a state where the lower surface is supported by a platen (not shown). Subsequently, an operation of ejecting ink from the recording head to the recording paper P while reciprocating a recording head (not shown) arranged to reciprocate in a predetermined reciprocating direction, and a reciprocating motion of the recording head. Recording on the recording paper P is executed by alternately repeating the operation of transporting the recording paper P by a predetermined transport amount in the transport direction orthogonal to the direction (recording execution means). The recording paper P after execution of recording receives a driving force from a discharge roller (not shown), is conveyed further downstream in the conveyance direction, and is discharged to the discharge stacker 5.

  The inkjet printer 50 has a relatively simple structure that is extremely compact and easy to carry, for example, for recording paper P of 4 × 6 inches or less. Further, the ink jet printer 50 has a so-called direct print function capable of directly recording on the recording paper P without being connected to a personal computer. The ink jet printer 50 has a configuration in which the function can be expanded by attaching an expansion unit (not shown) with a built-in CD drive or the like below the main body casing 1, and a digital image captured from a memory card or the like. A file can be stored on a CD-R or the like, or a digital image file stored on a CD-R or the like can be read and recorded.

  Subsequently, the configuration of the operation panel 10 as the “user interface unit” including the liquid crystal display 21, the function of each unit, the configuration of the recording control unit 100 as the “recording control device”, and the like will be described.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the operation panel 10 and shows a state in which the main menu screen is displayed on the liquid crystal display 21.
The operation panel 10 includes a liquid crystal display 21 as a “display unit”, a power switch 11, a display switching button 12, a menu button 13, a cancel button 14, a print (recording execution) button 15, a save button 16, and two functions. Keys 17 and 18 are provided. Further, on the lower side of the liquid crystal display 21 of the operation panel 10, an OK button 19 and an upper button U, a lower button D, a right button R, and a left button L are arranged around the OK button 19 as shown in the figure. .

  The power switch 11 is an operation switch for performing power ON / OFF operation of the inkjet printer 50. The display switching button 12 is an operation button for switching the display size (6 split display, 15 split display, full screen display, etc.) of the image displayed on the liquid crystal display 21, and the display switch button 12 is pressed. The display size can be switched cyclically. The menu button 13 is an operation button for displaying the illustrated main menu screen. The cancel button 14 is an operation button for canceling the operation on the way or interrupting the recording on the recording paper P on the way. The print (record execution) button 15 is an operation button for starting recording on the recording paper P.

  The save button 16 is an operation button for saving a digital image file in the external storage device 30 such as the CD drive. The two function keys 17 and 18 are assigned different functions for each screen. The upper button U, the lower button D, the right button R, and the left button L select a desired item from the menu screen on the display screen of the liquid crystal display 21 or select a desired digital photo image from the list of digital photo images. The OK button 19 is used to select a menu item selected by operating the up button U, the down button D, the right button R, or the left button L, a digital photo image, or the like. This is an operation button for confirming the selection contents.

The recording control unit 100 includes a ROM (Read Only Memory) 101 and a RAM (Random
It comprises a known microcomputer control circuit having an access memory (102), an IF (interface unit) 103, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 104, and a nonvolatile memory 105. The recording control unit 100 performs data input / output with the external storage device 30 such as a CD drive built in the memory card slot 9 or the expansion unit (not shown) in addition to the recording execution control for the recording paper P described above. Control and control of operation input from the above operation buttons and display output control to the liquid crystal display 21 are executed via the IF 103.

  The main menu screen displayed on the liquid crystal display 21 includes items of “photo selection”, “paper / layout”, “edit”, “frame”, “save to CD”, “maintenance”, and “setup” in order from the top. It consists of On this main menu screen, when the upper button U or the lower button D is operated to select “photo selection” and the OK button 19 is pressed, a list of digital photo images is displayed, and the upper button is viewed while viewing the image list display. By operating the U, down button D, right button R, or left button L to move the cursor up, down, left, or right, a digital photographic image to be recorded on the recording paper P or to be stored on the CD is selected. be able to. When “paper / layout” is selected and the OK button 19 is pressed, the layout of the digital image when recording on the recording paper P, the size of the recording paper P, and the like can be set. When “Edit” is selected and the OK button 19 is pressed, image editing such as trimming or image quality adjustment of a digital image when recording on the recording paper P can be performed.

  When “Frame” is selected and the OK button 19 is pressed, a frame can be combined with the digital photographic image when recording on the recording paper P is performed. When “Save to CD” is selected and the OK button 19 is pressed, the digital photo image file selected by “Select Photo” can be saved to a storage medium such as a CD via the CD drive. When “Maintenance” is selected and the OK button 19 is pressed, maintenance operations such as nozzle check and cleaning of the recording head (not shown), gap adjustment, and ink remaining amount display of an ink cartridge (not shown) are performed. be able to. When “Setup” is selected and the OK button 19 is pressed, setup operations such as date setting, adjustment of the amount of protrusion during borderless printing, and setting of a wireless communication function can be performed. In the main menu screen, the function key 17 is assigned a “return” function for returning to the previous screen, and the function key 18 is assigned a “continue” function for proceeding to the next screen. It has been.

  Next, the “frame composition function” of the recording control unit 100 according to the present invention will be described. This “frame synthesis function” is a function realized by a recording control program executed in the recording control unit 100 having a microcomputer control circuit.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the frame menu screen is displayed on the liquid crystal display 21.
When “Frame” is selected and the OK button 19 is pressed, a frame menu screen as shown is displayed on the liquid crystal display 21. The frame menu screen is composed of items of “frame composition”, “frame deletion”, and “frame update” in order from the top. On the frame menu screen, the function key 17 is assigned a “return” function for returning to the previous screen, and the function key 18 is assigned a “continue” function for proceeding to the next screen. It has been. When the upper button U or the lower button D is operated on this frame menu screen to select “frame composition” and the OK button 19 is pressed, a frame selection screen described below is displayed. When “Delete frame” is selected and the OK button 19 is pressed, the frame image combined with the digital photo image can be deleted. This “frame deletion” item is grayed out as shown in the figure when the frame deletion item is not combined with the digital photo image. When “update frame” is selected and the OK button 19 is pressed, the function of changing the contents of the frame image stored in the nonvolatile memory 105 can be used.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which the frame selection screen is displayed on the liquid crystal display 21.
On the frame selection screen, a plurality of frame images FL stored in advance in the nonvolatile memory 105 are displayed as a list as shown in the figure. The list display of the frame images FL is performed by pressing the display switching button 12 to change the display size (6 division display, 15 division display, full screen display, etc.) of the frame image FL displayed on the liquid crystal display 21. You can switch to a click. On this frame selection screen, the desired button frame image FL to be combined with the digital photo image is selected by operating the up button U, down button D, right button R or left button L to move the cursor up, down, left and right. be able to. When the OK button 19 is pressed in a state where the cursor is moved to the desired frame image FL, a preview image in which the selected frame image FL is combined with the digital photographic image as shown in FIG. 21. The function key 17 is assigned a “return” function for returning to the previous screen, and the function key 18 is assigned a “continue” function for proceeding to the next screen.

5 and 6 illustrate a state in which a preview image of a digital photographic image obtained by synthesizing a desired frame image FL is displayed on the liquid crystal display 21. FIG.
In this way, a preview image obtained by combining the image of the digital image file arbitrarily selected by the user with the frame image FL arbitrarily selected by the user is displayed on the liquid crystal display 21 (composite preview image display function). In a state where the preview image is displayed, it is possible to confirm by viewing the image image in a state where the desired frame image FL selected on the frame selection screen is combined with the digital photo image selected in advance. In addition, when the preview image is displayed, pressing any of the upper button U, the lower button D, the right button R, or the left button L shows the images in FIGS. 6A to 6C. As described above, it is possible to sequentially change only the frame image FL to another frame image FL without changing the image display of the digital image file of the preview image display (composite frame image switching display function).

  In other words, it is possible to sequentially change only the frame image FL to be synthesized while the preview image is displayed, thereby continuously displaying and confirming the photographic image images in which the frame images FL are synthesized. Can continue. When the OK button 19 is pressed while a preview image in which a desired frame image FL is combined is displayed, the frame image FL to be combined with the digital photographic image can be determined. The function key 17 is assigned a “return” function for returning to the previous screen, and the function key 18 is assigned a “continue” function for proceeding to the next screen.

  FIG. 7 illustrates a state in which a photo selection screen is displayed on the liquid crystal display 21. FIG. 8 illustrates a state in which a print (recording) number setting screen is displayed on the liquid crystal display 21. FIG. 9 illustrates a state in which a print (recording) confirmation screen is displayed on the liquid crystal display 21.

  When the preview image is displayed on the liquid crystal display 21 (FIG. 5) and the OK button 19 is pressed to determine the frame image FL to be combined with the digital photo image, the display on the liquid crystal display 21 is displayed on the photo selection screen (FIG. 7). Transition. The function key 17 is assigned a “select all” function capable of selecting all digital photograph images that can be selected on the photo selection screen, and the function key 18 is assigned a so-called “help” function. Yes. When a digital photo image combined with a desired frame image FL is selected on this photo selection screen and the OK button 19 is pressed, a print (recording) number setting screen (FIG. 8) is displayed on the liquid crystal display 21. .

  In this print (record) number setting screen, the number of print (record) sheets of the displayed digital photographic image can be set. Specifically, when the OK button 19 is pressed, the number of printed sheets can be increased by one, and when the function key 17 to which the “number-” function is assigned is pressed, the number of printed sheets can be decreased by one. Then, after setting the desired number of prints, when the function key 18 to which the “print confirmation” function is assigned is pressed, a print (record) confirmation screen (FIG. 9) is displayed. When the print (record execution) button 15 is pressed while the print confirmation screen is displayed, an image obtained by combining the digital photo image with the frame image arbitrarily selected by the user can be recorded on the recording paper P (see FIG. Frame composition function). The function key 17 is assigned with a “return” function for returning to the previous screen, and the function key 18 has a digital image layout and recording paper P when recording on the recording paper P. A “layout” setting function for moving to the screen for setting the size is assigned.

  In this way, with the preview image displayed on the liquid crystal display 21 (FIG. 5), only the frame image FL can be sequentially changed to another frame image without changing the image display of the digital image file of the preview image display. When the frame image FL is changed while viewing the preview image display, the selection of the frame image on the frame image FL selection screen (FIG. 4) and the display of the preview synthesized with the selected frame image (FIG. 5) are performed. In addition, without repeating a series of complicated operations such as deleting the combined frame image from the digital photo image, the frame image FL most suitable for the desired digital photo image is selected and the combined digital photo print is executed. be able to. Further, since the image display of the preview image display digital image file can be changed as it is, only the frame image can be sequentially changed to another frame image (FIG. 6), and the combined image of the frame image with the digital photo image can be directly improved in tempo. It can be examined while contrasting.

  In this way, it is possible to improve convenience when performing digital photograph printing in which the frame images FL are synthesized by operating the operation buttons while viewing the liquid crystal display 21 provided in the main body of the inkjet printer 50.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the invention described in the claims, and these are also included in the scope of the present invention. Needless to say.

1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an inkjet printer 50 according to the present invention. It is a front view of the operation panel in a state where the main menu screen is displayed The state in which the frame menu screen is displayed is illustrated. The state in which the frame selection screen is displayed is illustrated. It is a preview image of a digital photographic image obtained by combining frame images. It is a preview image of a digital photographic image obtained by combining frame images. The state in which the photo selection screen is displayed is illustrated. The state in which the print number setting screen is displayed is illustrated. The state in which the print confirmation screen is displayed is illustrated.

Explanation of symbols

9 memory card slot, 10 operation panel, 11 power switch, 12 display switch button, 13 menu button, 14 cancel button, 15 print (record execution) button, 16 save button, 17, 18 function key, 19 OK button, 21 liquid crystal Display, 50 Inkjet printer, 100 Recording control unit, 101 ROM, 102 RAM, 103 IF, 104 CPU, 105 Non-volatile memory, FL frame image, P recording paper

Claims (3)

User interface means having an operation unit and a display unit, recording execution means capable of executing recording on a recording material, an external storage device capable of reading and writing digital image files, and a plurality of frame images are stored in advance. A recording apparatus comprising: a non-volatile memory; and a recording control device that performs recording control on the recording material by the recording execution unit based on a user operation in the user interface unit and control of the external storage device,
The recording control device combines a frame image arbitrarily selected by a user with an image of a digital image file arbitrarily selected by a user and records it on a recording material;
A combined preview image display function for displaying on the display unit a preview image obtained by combining a frame image arbitrarily selected by the user with an image of a digital image file arbitrarily selected by the user;
By the operation of the operation unit in a state where the preview image is displayed on the display unit, it is possible to sequentially change only the frame image to another frame image without changing the image display of the digital image file of the preview image display. A recording apparatus having a frame image switching display function.   The recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the composite frame image switching display function is configured to change the frame image synthesized and displayed on the preview image without performing an operation of deleting the frame image synthesized and displayed on the preview image. A recording apparatus characterized by being capable of sequentially changing to a frame image. User interface means having an operation unit and a display unit, recording execution means capable of executing recording on a recording material, an external storage device capable of reading and writing digital image files, and a plurality of frame images are stored in advance. In a recording apparatus comprising a non-volatile memory, a recording for causing a computer to realize a recording control function on a recording material and a control function of the external storage device by the recording execution unit based on a user operation in the user interface unit A control program,
A frame synthesizing function for synthesizing a frame image arbitrarily selected by the user with an image of a digital image file arbitrarily selected by the user and recording the image on a recording material;
A combined preview image display function for displaying on the display unit a preview image obtained by combining a frame image arbitrarily selected by the user with an image of a digital image file arbitrarily selected by the user;
By the operation of the operation unit in a state where the preview image is displayed on the display unit, it is possible to sequentially change only the frame image to another frame image without changing the image display of the digital image file of the preview image display. A recording control program characterized by realizing a frame image switching display function.

Images