JP2008249799A - Photographic printing device and method for making photograph album booklet - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide technique for making a photograph album booklet by which a photograph album booklet such as a hard cover is excellently and efficiently made even when the number of images to be printed and output is small. <P>SOLUTION: In the photographic printing device to print and output a page sheet of the photograph album booklet constituted of the page sheets that are recording paper on which an image is formed, at least one or more kinds of recording paper in terms of thickness are loaded. The photographic printing device is equipped with a thickness information storage part 63 for storing thickness information of the recording paper and at least one or more kinds of intermediate paper to which the recording paper is stuck for every kind, and a combination calculation part 64 calculating combination of the kinds of recording paper and intermediate paper to be used to make the photograph album booklet based on the total number of page sheets and the thickness information thereof so that the total thickness of the recording paper and the intermediate paper used to make the photograph album booklet may be nearly the same as an appropriate value if the appropriate value is provided for the thickness of the photograph album booklet to be made. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a photo printing apparatus that prints out a page sheet of a photo album booklet composed of page sheets that are image-formed recording sheets, and a method for producing the photo album booklet.

  A variety of photo services are provided to customers at photo print stores. One of these photo services is a service for creating photo album booklets that are a collection of photos taken during travel, etc. in the form of albums. Has been done. As a photo printing apparatus for producing such a photo album booklet, for example, a technique described in Patent Document 1 is known. This photo printing apparatus forms and outputs a page sheet and a cover sheet constituting a photo album booklet on a sheet-like recording medium, and automatically adjusts the width of the back cover of the cover sheet. A setting unit, and a sheet data editing unit that edits the data of the cover sheet according to the print size determined based on the print size of the page sheet and the width of the back cover. Since the spine width setting unit automatically adjusts the width of the spine based on information such as the thickness of the sheet-like recording medium, the number of page sheets can be set flexibly.

  Further, for example, a technique disclosed in Patent Document 2 is known as a photo album that can be easily bound and a manufacturing method thereof. In this photo album, a bookbinding unit is formed by a pair of constituent pages and a joining member capable of joining the pair of constituent pages, and a plurality of the bookbinding units are bonded in the thickness direction with the pair of constituent pages spread. Is formed. Here, the plurality of bookbinding units are bonded to each other on the back side of each bookbinding unit via a bonding sheet arranged between the bookbinding units, and thereby the thickness dimension and thickness direction of the photo album are combined. The intensity can be adjusted.

JP 2006-58392 A (paragraphs 0009 to 0012) JP 2006-315376 A (paragraphs 0013 and 0031 to 0032)

  By the way, in the case of a photo album booklet of a hard cover, the booklet thickness, that is, the distance between the front cover and the back cover is substantially fixed, and the thickness of each page sheet is also constant, so the strength of the binding portion is From the viewpoint of securing and appearance, the number of appropriate page sheets (recorded paper on which images were formed) to be used was also substantially fixed. For example, if the number of page sheets to be inserted into the hard cover is less than the appropriate number and does not reach the booklet thickness, problems such as folding of the back cover of the photo album booklet and easy separation of the page sheets may occur. When there are few images to output, the customer is forced to print more photos than necessary to reach the appropriate number of page sheets.

  In this regard, the thickness dimension can be adjusted using a joining sheet as in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, but in this case, a joining sheet having an appropriate thickness is used each time so as to be substantially the same as the booklet thickness. Creating it places a burden on the creator of the photo album booklet.

  The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems, and the purpose of the present invention is to make it possible to produce a photo album booklet such as a hard cover efficiently and efficiently even when the number of images to be printed is small. The purpose is to provide album booklet production technology.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, in the photo printing apparatus for printing out the page sheet of the photo album booklet composed of the page sheet which is the image-formed recording sheet, in the present invention, at least one kind of the thickness is used in the present invention. Load the recording paper and store the thickness information of the at least one type of recording paper or the at least one type of recording paper and at least one type of intermediate paper to which the recording paper is attached for each type. When an appropriate value is provided for the thickness information storage unit to be produced and the book thickness of the photo album book to be produced, based on the total number of the page sheets and the thickness information, the used for production Types of the recording paper or the recording paper and the intermediate paper so that the total thickness of the recording paper or the recording paper and the intermediate paper is substantially the same as an appropriate value of the booklet thickness Comprising a combination calculation unit that calculates a combination, and an output control unit for outputting the combination calculated.

  Here, the page component of the photo album booklet (the contents of the booklet) may be configured by sticking the backs of the page sheets together, or by sticking the backs of the page sheets to the front and back sides of the intermediate paper. May be configured. That is, as the page component, a type using an intermediate sheet and a type not using it are possible, and the photo album booklet to be produced uses either one type or both types of page component members. It is possible to configure.

  According to the above-described configuration, even when a photo album booklet is used in which a hard cover or the like is used as the cover sheet and an appropriate value is provided for the booklet thickness, the recording paper and the intermediate paper are thick. The total thickness of the recording paper or the recording paper and the intermediate paper used for production (total thickness of the page constituent members) is approximately the appropriate value of the booklet thickness. The recording paper or a combination of the types of recording paper and intermediate paper is automatically calculated so that they are the same, and the result of the combination is output. It is possible to easily select the recording paper used for the production of the recording paper, or the type of the recording paper and the intermediate paper.

  In other words, even when the number of images to be printed is small, the total thickness of the page components is selected as the booklet thickness by selecting the types of recording paper and intermediate paper having different thicknesses based on the calculated combination. Because it is adjusted so that it is almost the same as the appropriate value, the photo album booklet is good and efficient without compelling the customer to print more photos than necessary and reducing the burden on the creator. Can be manufactured automatically.

  As an output form of the calculated combination result, in one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the calculated combination is printed out on the recording paper. As a result, the creator of the photo album booklet can perform the work while referring to the combination printed on the recording paper at the production place or the like, and can efficiently proceed with the work.

  In addition to the above-described photo printing apparatus, a method for producing a photo album booklet is also the subject of the present invention. That is, the photo album booklet production method according to the present invention is characterized in that the photo album booklet production method includes a page sheet that is an image-formed recording sheet, and an appropriate value is provided for the booklet thickness. Based on the total number of page sheets and the thickness information of at least one type of recording paper, or at least one type of recording paper and at least one type of intermediate paper to which the recording paper is attached The recording paper or a combination of the types of the recording paper and the intermediate paper so that the total thickness of the recording paper or the recording paper and the intermediate paper used is substantially the same as the appropriate value of the booklet thickness. Calculating the output, outputting the combination, printing the page sheet based on the combination, and using the printed page sheet, the photo album Has the steps of making the booklet, the. Such a method for producing a photo album also has the same operational effects as those of the above-described photo printing apparatus, and can have various additional characteristic configurations described above.

Embodiments of a photo print apparatus for producing a photo album booklet according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
〔overall structure〕
FIG. 1 is an external view of a photographic printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. This photographic printing apparatus is also referred to as a digital minilab, and includes a print station 1B as a photographic printer that performs exposure processing and development processing on the photographic paper P, a developed photographic film 2a, a digital camera memory card 2b, and the like. And an operation station 1A that processes a captured image captured from the captured image recording medium to generate and transfer print data used in the print station 1B.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the print station 1B. As shown in FIG. 2, the print station 1B pulls out the roll-shaped printing paper P (an example of recording paper) stored in the two printing paper magazines 11a and 11b and cuts it to the print size designated by the sheet cutter 12. In the case of normal photographic prints, print processing information such as color correction information and frame numbers is printed on the back side of the photographic paper P by the back print unit 13 on the photographic paper P cut in this way, The exposure unit 14 exposes the photographed image on the surface of the photographic paper P. In this embodiment, combination information of the types of photographic paper and intermediate paper used for producing a photo album booklet described later is printed on the back surface of the photographic paper P. Further, not only photographed image data but also print data based on illustrations and characters are exposed on the surface of the photographic paper P. Next, the exposed photographic paper P is sent to a processing tank unit 15 having a plurality of development processing tanks for development processing. After the development processing, the photographic paper P is dried and then sent to the sorter 17 from the lateral feed conveyor 16 at the top of the apparatus. As shown in FIG. 1, the photographic paper P on which an image is formed, that is, a page sheet, is accumulated on the plurality of trays of the sorter 17 in a state of being sorted in order units.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a photographic paper transport mechanism 18 is laid in the print station 1B in order to transport the photographic paper P at a transport speed in accordance with the above-described various processing for the photographic paper P. The photographic paper transport mechanism 18 is composed of a plurality of nipping and transporting roller pairs including a chucker type photographic paper transport unit 18a disposed before and after the print exposure unit 14 in the photographic paper transport direction.

  The print exposure unit 14 applies R (red), G (green), and B (blue) to the printing paper P conveyed in the sub-scanning direction based on print data from the operation station 1A along the main scanning direction. A line exposure head for irradiating laser beams of the three primary colors (1) is provided. The processing tank unit 15 includes a color developing tank 15a for storing a color developing processing liquid, a bleach-fixing tank 15b for storing a bleach-fixing processing liquid, and a stabilizing tank 15c for storing a stable processing liquid.

  Further, an ID code reader 19 for reading the photographic paper ID code assigned to the photographic paper magazines 11a and 11b is provided in a mounting portion to which the photographic paper magazines 11a and 11b are attached. This photographic paper ID code uniquely identifies the type of the photographic paper P. By recognizing this photographic paper ID code, the type of the photographic paper P stored in the photographic paper magazines 11a and 11b is recognized. Will be.

  Note that the print station 1B is replaced with a so-called silver salt photographic printing method in which a photographic image is exposed to the photographic paper P by the print exposure unit 14, and the photographic paper P after the exposure is developed to form an image. In addition, a photographic printing method such as an ink jet printing method in which an image is formed by ejecting ink onto a film or paper or a thermal transfer method using a thermal transfer sheet may be employed.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a film scanner 20 for obtaining photographed image data from a photographed image frame of a photographic film 2a as a photographed image recording medium is disposed at the upper position of the desk-like console of the operation station 1A. Further, a media drive 21 that acquires photographed image data from various semiconductor memories or CD-Rs as a photographed image recording medium 2b mounted on a digital camera or the like is incorporated in a general-purpose personal computer that functions as the controller 3 of this photographic printing apparatus. It is. The general-purpose personal computer is also connected with a monitor 23 for displaying various information and an operation input device 24 such as a keyboard and a mouse used for various settings and adjustments.

[Controller system configuration]
The controller 3 of this photographic printing apparatus uses a CPU as a core member and constructs a functional unit for performing various operations of the photographic printing apparatus by hardware and / or software. As shown in FIG. 3, there are the following functional units particularly related to the present invention.

  The image input unit 31 takes captured image data read by the film scanner 20 or the media drive 21 and performs preprocessing necessary for the next processing. Pre-processing includes creation of a database for performing editing processing using read captured image data, generation of thumbnail image data (low resolution image data) for displaying a list of captured image data, and the like. For example, when the photographic image recording medium is the film 2a, the scan data for the pre-scan mode and the main scan mode are sent to the memory 30 separately. That is, the scan data obtained in the pre-scan mode is used as thumbnail image data, and the scan data obtained in the main scan mode is used for photo printing. The same operation is performed even when the captured image recording medium is the memory card 2b. That is, when the captured image data includes thumbnail image data, it is sent to the memory 30 separately from the main data (high resolution data) of the captured image for use for the purpose of displaying a list on the monitor 23. However, if thumbnail image data is not included, a reduced image is created from this data and sent to the memory 30 as thumbnail image data.

  The GUI unit 32 generates a graphic operation screen including various windows and various operation buttons displayed on the monitor 23, and inputs a user operation through the graphic operation screen (by an operation input device 24 such as a keyboard and a mouse). It is a graphic user interface (hereinafter abbreviated as GUI) that generates a control command.

  The print data generation unit 33 generates print data suitable for the print exposure unit 14 provided in the print station 1B based on the processed image data that has been subjected to image processing and editing by various applications. The print data created here is image-formed on the printing paper P at the print station 1B and output. A formatter unit 34 is also provided for formatting raw image data, processed image data that has been subjected to image processing, application data, and the like into a format for writing to a CD-R or the like in response to a customer request.

  The print management unit 35 is transferred from the image input unit 31 to the memory 30 in order to generate desired print data based on a control command sent from the GUI unit 32 or an operation command input from the direct operation input device 24. It has a function of performing image processing on the captured image data itself and editing data of various applications using the captured image data. Here, various applications include, for example, album page sheet creation, calendar sheet creation, and postcard sheet creation. In order to perform such various image processing and data editing, the print management unit 35 includes an image processing unit 50. The image processing unit 50 is provided with a photo album image generation module 60 for editing and generating image data of a page sheet (image-formed photographic paper P) constituting a photo album booklet. Also provided is a photographic paper type recognizing unit 51 for specifying the type of photographic paper P stored in the photographic paper magazines 11a and 11b loaded from the photographic paper ID code read by the ID code reader 19.

[Photo Album Image Generation Module]
Next, details of the photo album image generation module 60 will be described with reference to FIG. The photo album image generation module 60 includes a page sheet image generation unit 61 that performs editing / generation processing of page sheet image data by combining photographed image data and template image data, and the like. Template image storage unit 62 for storing a template image used at the time, thickness information of photographic paper P, and thickness of at least one kind of intermediate paper to which a page sheet (image-formed photographic paper P) is pasted Thickness information storage unit 63 that stores thickness information for each type, and the total number of page sheets of the photo album booklet to be produced and various thickness information stored in the thickness information storage unit 63 A combination calculation unit 64 that calculates a combination of types of photographic paper and intermediate paper to be printed.

  The page sheet image generation unit 61 further includes an album type selection unit 61a for selecting a photo album booklet type to be created from a plurality of types of album types having different booklet thicknesses and binding methods, and template image data used for the page sheet. A template image selection unit 61b that is selected with reference to the template image storage unit 62 and a captured image selection unit 61c that selects captured image data to be used for the page sheet from the input captured image data are provided. The image data of the page sheet is generated by combining the image and the captured image. Of course, a form that does not use a template image is also possible.

  The thickness information storage unit 63 stores the photographic paper stored in the photographic paper magazines 11a and 11b loaded based on the type of the photographic paper P specified by the ID code reader 19 and the photographic paper type recognition unit 51. Thicknesses (the types are referred to as photographic paper A and photographic paper B) are obtained, and the thickness information is stored. In addition, the thickness of each of a plurality of types of intermediate sheets separately prepared for attaching the page sheet and the appropriate value of the booklet thickness for each album type are also stored. Thus, the thickness information of the photographic paper P is obtained based on the information from the ID code reader 19, and the intermediate paper or album type thickness information is input in advance by the operation input device 24.

  Here, in this embodiment, the page component of the photo album booklet (the contents of the booklet) is created by sticking the back side of two page sheets to the front and back sides of the intermediate sheet. . Further, as described above, in this embodiment, two types of photographic paper P are provided with respect to the thickness (photographic paper A and photographic paper B), and three types of intermediate paper having different thicknesses are provided. It is assumed that intermediate paper (intermediate paper X, intermediate paper Y, intermediate paper Z) is prepared.

  As described above, when an album type is selected, an appropriate value for the booklet thickness is determined. When the number of image data of page sheets to be generated, that is, the total number of page sheets to be printed out is determined, the combination calculation unit 64 calculates the total number of intermediate sheets to be used from the total number of page sheets. . Here, half of the total number of page sheets is the total number of intermediate sheets. Then, based on the total number of page sheets and intermediate paper and the thickness information for each type of photographic paper and intermediate paper, the total thickness of photographic paper and intermediate paper used for production (total thickness of page constituent members) The combination of the types of the recording paper and the intermediate paper is calculated so that is substantially the same as the appropriate value.

[Flow of photo album booklet production process]
Next, the flow of the photo album booklet production process will be described with reference to FIG. Here, a case will be described in which the operator (photo album creator) performs all processing based on an order from a customer. However, a reception terminal (not shown) is provided for selecting a photographed image, a template image, and the like. Of course, the form that the customer himself / herself performs is also possible.

  First, a photographed image recording medium is set in the media drive 21 or the like, photographed image data is read, and photographed image data is acquired (# 01). Then, in order to generate the image data of the page sheet, a necessary captured image is selected from the acquired captured image data, and template image data to be combined with the captured image data is selected (# 02). This process is performed until all the photographed images related to the order are selected (# 03 No branch). When this selection process ends (# 03 Yes branch), the total number of page sheets to be printed out and the total number of intermediate sheets to which the page sheets are attached are calculated (# 04).

  Next, an album type that can be produced using this page sheet is selected (# 05). For example, if the total number of page sheets is 18 and 10 or 20 album types are prepared, the album type for 20 sheets is selected. Then, the appropriate value of the booklet thickness of the selected album type is read from the thickness information storage unit 63, and the thicknesses of the photographic paper and the intermediate paper are read for each type (# 06). Then, from the calculated total number of page sheets and intermediate paper, and the thickness of each type of photographic paper and intermediate paper, the appropriate value of the booklet thickness from which the total thickness of the page constituent members to be produced is read and A combination of types of photographic paper and intermediate paper (combination pattern) is calculated so as to be substantially the same (# 07). There may be a plurality of calculated combination patterns.

The combination pattern calculated in this way is displayed on the monitor 23 (# 08). FIG. 6 shows an example of the combination pattern display screen. In the pattern display field 71 of the paper selection information display screen 70, a photographic paper and intermediate paper type field 71A is provided in the horizontal direction, and a pattern number display button 71B of the calculated combination pattern is provided in the vertical direction. . For example, in the pattern 3, ₃ sheets of paper A a, _three intermediate sheets X x, is shown the case where the intermediate sheet Y using _three y is. By operating this pattern number display button 71B, a corresponding combination pattern can be selected.

The operator refers to this display result and selects a combination pattern (# 09). Then, the photographic paper is pulled out from the photographic paper magazine 11 loaded with the photographic paper to be used, exposure processing is performed, and print output is performed. In particular, when a combination pattern using two types of photographic paper is selected, the photographic paper to be printed out is switched during the print output. For example, in FIG. 6, if the pattern 3 is selected, printing using the photographic paper A is performed, and if the pattern 4 is selected, printing using the photographic paper B is performed. Further, printing on photographic paper A is switched to the printing paper B at where it ended _one a, printing on photographic paper B is performed _one b be selected pattern 1.

  Next, the process from the printed page sheet to the production of the photo album booklet will be described in detail with reference to FIG. Here, a case where the pattern 3 in FIG. 6 is selected will be described as an example. As described above, in this embodiment, three types of intermediate paper 80 (intermediate paper X, intermediate paper Y, and intermediate paper Z) are prepared, which are designated 80a, 80b, and 80c, respectively (FIG. 7A). reference). Further, the thickness of these intermediate sheets increases in the order of 80a, 80b, and 80c.

  First, a page sheet 90 (P) printed out on both the front and back sides of the intermediate paper 80 (either 80a or 80b) is pasted to make a page constituent member of the photo album booklet (one booklet content) 110 is manufactured (see FIG. 7B).

  Here, as shown in FIG. 7B, the type and number of intermediate sheets to be used in the selected combination pattern are back-printed on the back surface of the page sheet 90 (P), and the operator displays such a display. It is possible to proceed with the production of the page constituent member while watching. Note that the display form is not limited to this, and the type of intermediate paper to which the page sheet 90 (P) should be attached may be displayed. For example, in the case of the page sheet 90 (P) to be attached to the intermediate paper Y, Y is back printed on the back surface.

  Then, the photo album booklet 100 is completed by inserting and sticking the page constituent member 110 thus produced into the hard cover 120 (see FIG. 7C).

  FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the produced photo album booklet. As can be seen from FIG. 8, an intermediate paper 80a is used on the front cover 120A side of the photo album booklet, and a thicker intermediate paper 80b is used on the back cover 120B side. By adjusting the thickness of the photographic paper and the intermediate paper in this way, the total thickness of the page constituent member 110 becomes substantially the same as the booklet thickness D, there is no gap, and a desired photograph is formed on all the page sheets. Photo album booklet can be made.

[Another embodiment]
(1) In the above-described embodiment, two types of photographic paper and three types of intermediate paper are provided regarding the thickness. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an arbitrary number of types of photographic paper or Alternatively, intermediate paper can be used.
(2) In the above-described embodiment, a page constituent member that uses an intermediate sheet is used. However, a page constituent member that does not use an intermediate sheet may be used. In addition, some of the page constituent members of one photo album booklet may be of a type that uses intermediate paper, and the rest may be of a type that does not use intermediate paper. Moreover, it does not necessarily need to be the form which sticks to both surfaces.
(3) The photo album booklet according to the present invention only needs to have an appropriate value for the booklet thickness, and the binding method is not limited to the hard cover. A binding tool may be used.
(4) The calculated combination pattern does not necessarily need to be output to the monitor, and may be either the monitor or the recording paper. Further, in the case of printing out on recording paper, only the combination pattern on the surface of the recording paper may be printed instead of the back print.

External view of a photographic printing apparatus according to the present invention Schematic diagram showing the structure of the print station of FIG. Functional block diagram of the photo printing apparatus of FIG. Functional block diagram of photo album image generation module Flow chart showing the output processing of the page sheets that make up the photo album booklet Figure showing the paper information display screen Explanatory drawing showing the process of making photo album booklet Cross section of photo album booklet

Explanation of symbols

35 Print Management Unit 50 Photo Album Image Generation Module 61 Page Sheet Image Generation Unit 63 Thickness Information Storage Unit 64 Combination Calculation Unit

Claims (3)

In a photo printing apparatus that prints out the page sheet of a photo album booklet composed of a page sheet that is an image-formed recording paper,
Load at least one type of recording paper with respect to thickness,
A thickness information storage unit for storing thickness information of the at least one type of recording paper, or at least one type of recording paper and at least one type of intermediate paper to which the recording paper is attached; ,
When an appropriate value is provided for the booklet thickness of the photo album booklet to be produced, based on the total number of page sheets and the thickness information, the recording paper used for production or the recording paper And a combination calculation unit for calculating the recording paper or a combination of the types of the recording paper and the intermediate paper so that the total thickness of the intermediate paper is substantially equal to the appropriate value of the booklet thickness;
A photographic printing apparatus comprising: an output control unit that outputs the calculated combination.   The photographic printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the calculated combination is printed out on the recording paper. In a method for producing a photo album booklet, which is composed of a page sheet which is an image-formed recording paper and has an appropriate value for the booklet thickness,
Produced based on the total number of the page sheets and at least one type of recording paper, or at least one type of recording paper and thickness information of at least one type of intermediate paper to which the recording paper is attached The recording paper or the type of the recording paper and the intermediate paper is used so that the total thickness of the recording paper or the recording paper and the intermediate paper used in the recording sheet is substantially the same as the appropriate value of the booklet thickness. Calculating a combination;
Outputting the combination and printing out the page sheet based on the combination;
Creating the photo album booklet using the printed page sheet. A method for producing a photo album booklet.

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