JP2008289075A - Photographic frame image processing apparatus and photograph processing system with the same incorporated therein - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a photographic frame image processing apparatus for outputting a plurality of photographic frame image prints in each of which a number of photographic frame images are arranged irregularly, without imposing a work load upon a user or an operator, while reducing the types of a template to specify the layout of photographic frame images as far as possible. <P>SOLUTION: The photographic frame image processing apparatus comprises a template layer storage section 47 and an image frame link section 46e. The template layer storage section 47 stores a first template layer and a second template layer. In the first template layer a plurality of image frames each for fitting at least photographic frame images are laid out randomly and in the second template layer, image frames more than those in the first template layer are laid out randomly in such a way that image frames are not superposed on each other at a predetermined level or more when the second template layer is superposed on the first template layer. The image frame link section 46e links a plurality of photographic frame images to image frames in an execution template layer which is set by superposing a selected template layer thereon. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a photographed frame image processing technique for generating print data for outputting a plurality of photographed frame image prints in which a plurality of photographed frame images are formed on a print recording medium having a predetermined print size, and a photographic processing system employing this technique. About.

  Conventionally, a print service has been proposed in which a plurality of photographed frame images are irregularly arranged on one photographic print sheet to output a print that gives fun that does not exist in conventional photographic prints. In order to output a frame image print, as a photographic print order sheet having a template drawing in which a plurality of image frames are irregularly arranged in advance and a field in which a shooting frame image number assigned to each image frame is entered by the user The contents of the order on the login sheet are automatically read, the position of each image frame is confirmed, and the shot frame image to be inserted into the image frame is read from the photographic film, and a specific shooting frame is specified at a specific position defined by the login sheet. Image processing apparatuses that output a multi-shot frame image print in which images are arranged are known (for example, special References 1). However, in the output of a multi-shot frame image print using such a login sheet, it is necessary to create in advance a template drawing for each number of frame images included in one multi-shot frame image print. The photographed frame image number must be specified for each image frame while viewing the image. If the number of frame images is small, but if multiple shot frame image prints with more than 100 frame images are processed, the number of types of login sheets that must be prepared for that will exceed 100. In the print service, practically, the number of frame images included in one multi-shot frame image print is limited to 10 or less.

  Also, there is no need for a photo print order form like a login sheet in advance, and the user directly and manually arranges multiple shot frame images in the print preview layer, and the arrangement is completed in the print preview layer. On the basis of this, a technique for outputting a multi-shot frame image print has also been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 2). However, with this technology, it is possible to freely lay out a plurality of shot frame images. However, when outputting a shot frame image print having a number of frame images exceeding several tens, the arrangement of the shot frame images is determined manually. Going is expensive and unrealistic.

JP-A-10-51576 (paragraph numbers 0030-0037, FIG. 6) JP 2003-244418 A (paragraph number 0017-0022, FIG. 3)

  In view of the above situation, an object of the present invention is to reduce the number of types of templates that define the arrangement of photographed frame images as much as possible, but without burdening the work of the user or operator as in the prior art. The present invention is to provide a photographed frame image processing technique for generating print data for outputting a plurality of photographed frame image prints arranged irregularly, and a photo processing system employing this technique.

  In order to solve the above problems, at least a photographing frame image processing device according to the present invention that generates print data for outputting a plurality of photographing frame image prints in which a plurality of photographing frame images are formed on a print recording medium having a predetermined print size is provided. , A first template layer in which a plurality of image frames for fitting the photographed frame images are randomly arranged, and a larger number of image frames than the first template layer overlap with the first template layer. A template layer storage unit that stores a second template layer that is randomly arranged so that image frames that overlap when they are combined do not overlap more than a predetermined level; and a shooting frame in the plurality of shooting frame image prints An image number calculation unit that calculates the number of images, and approximates the number of the shot frame images and In order to create more image frames than the number of shadow frame images, a template layer selection unit that selects one or more template layers from the template layer storage unit, and a single selected template layer are selected as they are. An execution template layer setting unit that sets an execution template layer in a superimposed manner when there are a plurality of template layers, an image frame link unit that links the plurality of captured frame images to each image frame of the execution template layer, and A print information generation unit is provided that generates print data for printing a plurality of shot frame images in which a shot frame image linked to each image frame of the execution template layer is inserted into the image frame.

  In the feature configuration of this photographed frame image processing apparatus, a plurality of template layers that are different in the number of arranged image frames and that do not overlap each other by a predetermined level or more are prepared in advance, and a plurality of photographed frame images to be output are prepared. When the number of photographed frame images to be included in the print is calculated, one or more appropriate template layers are selected from a plurality of template layers so that the number of image frames satisfying the number of photographed frame images is created. A plurality of frames are captured in each image frame of the execution template layer set by overlapping the plurality of selected template layers (if only one template layer is selected, that template layer is the execution template layer). Multiple shot frame image print data can be generated by linking the shot frame images to be included in the image print and finally fitting the shot frame images linked to the respective image frames into the image frames. . Since the image frames of the template layer are randomly arranged, the output multi-shot frame image print has a pleasant effect such that a large number of shot frame images are naturally scattered. Furthermore, since the execution template layer to be actually used is an appropriate combination of a plurality of template layers prepared in advance, execution template layers having various image frame numbers are generated from a small number of template layers having different image frame numbers. It becomes possible. For example, if a template layer having 10, 20, and 40 image frames is prepared, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 image frames can be combined by combining them. An execution template layer can be created. Further, if the image frames are arranged so that they do not overlap each other by a predetermined level or more, all the photographed frame images fitted in the image frames will not lose their substantial value as photographs possessed by the photographed frame images. . However, when it is desired to reproduce the image contents of all the shot frame images without any defects, it is preferable to prepare a template layer group arranged so that the image frames do not overlap each other at all.

  When using template layers arranged to allow image frames to overlap each other with a predetermined level or less, if it is absolutely necessary to avoid image loss in the overlap region, photographing both images in the overlap region In order to fuse and form the frame image portions, the image overlapping area may be made transparent.

  Since the number of image frames of the execution template layer created from a limited number of types of template layers having different image frame numbers is the number of skips, the same frame image is linked to the remaining image frames, or any arbitrary frame The image frame is left blank. In order to avoid such an inconvenience, in one preferred embodiment of the present invention, an image frame that invalidates an extra image frame when the number of image frames of the execution template layer exceeds the number of photographed frame images. An adjustment unit is provided.

In order to give unexpectedness to the arrangement of the shot frame images to be included in the output multiple shot frame image print and to obtain an unprecedented enjoyable effect, the image frame link unit is linked to the image frame. A frame image may be selected at random. Such random selection is advantageous because it can be easily automated using a random function.

  Since the recording capacity of photographic recording media attached to digital cameras has increased remarkably, the number of photographed frame images recorded at photographing events such as travel and athletic meet has exceeded 100. However, there are no more than a few dozens of shot frame images that are output as photographic prints due to costs and the like, and the remaining many shot frame images are transferred to a recording medium such as a hard disk or DVD without being printed. However, there are not many opportunities to visually confirm the shot frame images transferred to such a recording medium. In such a photo processing service in the digital camera era, the above-described photographed frame image processing technology brings a great advantage. That is, among the photographed frame images included in the photograph recording media input by the user for the purpose of photographic print output, a number of photographed frame images that were not designated as photographic print targets by the user through the photographed frame image selection screen are displayed. Using the above-described shooting frame image processing technique, the above-described multiple shooting frame image print is output. Through this multi-shot frame image print, the user can check the image contents of a large number of remaining shot frame images that were not targeted for photographic print at that time, although the image size is small. In addition, the multi-shot frame image print can provide the user with an unprecedented and pleasant sensation as if many shot frame images were scattered. The present invention incorporates the above-described shooting frame image processing apparatus and converts a shooting frame image designated by a user through a shooting frame image selection screen out of shooting frame images included in a loaded photo recording medium into a conventional photo. A photo processing system that can output a shot frame image not designated by a user among the shot frame images as a print is also a right range.

  First, the basics of the photographed frame image processing technique according to the present invention will be described with reference to the explanatory diagrams shown in FIGS. FIG. 1 shows an example of a template layer prepared in advance, and FIG. 2 shows an example of an execution template layer set by combining a plurality of template layers. FIG. 3 schematically shows a state in which print data is generated using an execution template layer in which a plurality of template layers are combined, and a final multi-frame image print is output by this print data. The multiple shot frame image print finally output through the shot frame image processing technology according to the present invention is arranged such that a large number of shot frame images are scattered from above. The scattered image print is called a scattered image print, and the photographed frame image arranged in the scattered image print is also called a scattered image in some cases.

  1A shows a template layer 1 having 20 image frames, FIG. 1B shows a template layer 2 having 30 image frames, and FIG. 1C shows 40 template layers 1. A template layer 3 having an image frame is shown. The layer attribute information of each template layer includes the size value of each image frame, the center coordinate value of each image frame, the inclination angle of each image frame, and the like. The inclination angle may be a random value calculated from the entire range, that is, ± 180 °, but is preferably limited to ± 45 ° in consideration of the ease of viewing the scattered image.

  As is clear from FIG. 1, it is also convenient to obtain a natural scattering effect by selecting an arrangement in which a part of the arranged photographed frame image is scattered and jumps out of the frame of the image print. However, it is preferable that the degree of jumping out of the frame of the scattered image print is 20% or less of the image so that the content of the scattered image can be sufficiently confirmed.

FIG. 2A shows an execution template set by superimposing the template layer 1 and the template layer 2. The number of image frames is 20 + 30 = 50, and a maximum of 50 shot frame images are displayed. Randomly arranging as scattered images, it is possible to generate print data for scattered image printing. FIG. 2B shows an execution template set by superimposing the template layer 1 and the template layer 3, and the number of image frames is 20 + 40 = 60, and a maximum of 60 shot frame images are displayed. Randomly arranging as scattered images, it is possible to generate print data for scattered image printing. FIG. 2 (c) shows an execution template set by superimposing the template layer 2 and the template layer 3. The number of image frames is 30 + 40 = 70, and a maximum of 70 shot frame images are displayed. Randomly arranging as scattered images, it is possible to generate print data for scattered image printing. FIG. 2D shows an execution template set by superimposing the template layer 1, the template layer 2, and the template layer 3. The number of image frames is 20 + 30 + 40 = 90, and a maximum of 90 images. The photographed frame images are randomly arranged as scattered images, and scattered image printing print data can be generated. As is apparent from FIG. 2, in the execution template set by superimposing a plurality of template layers, there are portions where the edges overlap between image frames belonging to different template layers. This is to allow a little overlap in the area excluding the central area, thereby generating an image in which a large number of photographed frame images are scattered like fallen leaves, and to obtain a pleasant effect that has not existed before. At that time, in order to avoid losing the photographic value of the shot frame image as each scattered image as much as possible, in the execution template layer, the overlapping degree of the adjacent image frames is 60% or more of the image frame area. It is preferable that an image frame in each template layer is arranged so as to be secured in the central region.
It should be noted that it is preferable that the vertical arrangement when the template layers are superimposed can be arbitrarily set. In other words, an image frame included in a template layer arranged at a lower level may be partially hidden by an image frame of a template layer arranged at a higher level, but the vertical arrangement relationship between the template layers is arbitrarily set. This is because the impression of the final scattered image print can be changed if possible. For example, in FIG. 2C, the template layer 3 is disposed above the template layer 2, but in FIG. 2D, the template layer 3 is disposed below the template layer 1 and the template layer 2. ing.

  FIG. 3 shows an image frame attribute information by using an execution template set by superimposing the template layer 1 and the template layer 3 described above, and linking the input frame image as a scattered image to the image frame of the execution template layer. FIG. 4 schematically shows a procedure of writing an identification code of a captured frame image that is a source of the scattered image, then processing the scattered frame image into a shape and orientation of the image, and finally outputting as a scattered image print.

  An example of a photographic processing system that employs the above-described photographic frame image processing technology is shown in FIG. This photographic print system is a so-called digital minilab, a photographic print apparatus 100, and a photographic frame image processing apparatus 20 which is connected to the photographic print apparatus 100 via a data transmission line, and here adopts the form of a photographic processing order receiving apparatus. It consists of and. This photographed frame image processing device 20 captures photographed frame images stored in a photograph recording medium such as a memory card used in a digital photographing device such as a digital camera or a camera-equipped mobile phone, displays these as a list, and photographs Display the photo processing order operation screen to specify the shot frame image that you want to print out, and use the conventional photo print using the specified shot frame image and the remaining shot frame image that was not specified Here, a photographic print process called a scattered image print is performed. In this embodiment, the photographic printing apparatus 100 outputs photographic prints including scattered image prints received by the photographic frame image processing apparatus 20 as a photographic processing order receiving apparatus. Therefore, image data (print data) and print attribute data such as print size necessary for performing photo print output are transferred from the photographed frame image processing device 20 to the photo print device 100 via the data transmission line. Of course, the photograph print output function may be incorporated into the photographed frame image processing apparatus 20, or conversely, the function of the photographed frame image processing apparatus 20 may be incorporated into the photograph print apparatus 100.

  The photographic printing apparatus 100 includes a printing station 100B that performs exposure processing and development processing on the photographic paper P, and a printing station 100B based on image data (print data) and print attribute data received from the photographed frame image processing apparatus 20. And an operation station 100A having a function as a print control apparatus for driving the printer. The operation station 100A is provided in the operation table 1.

  As can be understood from FIG. 5, the print station 100B of the photographic printing apparatus 100 conveys the photographic paper P as a roll-shaped print recording medium stored in the two photographic paper magazines 31 and cuts it into a print size. The cut photographic paper P is exposed to a photographed frame image by an exposure engine 32 as a print engine, and the exposed photographic paper P is sent to a development processing unit 33 having a plurality of development processing tanks for development. . The photographic paper P sent to the sorter from the transverse feed conveyor 34 at the top of the apparatus after drying is accumulated as a photographic print in a state of being sorted in units of orders on a plurality of trays of the sorter. A photographic paper transport mechanism 35 including a plurality of chucker transport units 35a is provided in order to transport the photographic paper P at a transport speed adapted to various processes for the photographic paper P described above. The exposure engine 32 irradiates the photographic paper P with light of the three primary colors R (red), G (green), and B (blue) while sending the photographic paper P based on the print data sent from the operation station 100A. At the time of exposure, the photographic printing paper P is conveyed in the sub-scanning direction, and exposure is performed in a line along the main scanning direction in synchronization with the conveyance speed. As the exposure head, a laser beam method, a fluorescent beam method, a liquid crystal shutter method, or the like can be adopted according to the exposure specification. Here, the laser beam method is adopted.

  In addition, as a printing station 100B, film or paper is used instead of the so-called silver salt photographic printing system in which a photographic frame P is exposed to the photographic paper P by the exposure head 32 and the photographic paper P after the exposure is developed. A photographic printing system such as an ink jet printing system in which an ink is discharged to form an image or a thermal transfer system using a thermal transfer sheet may be employed.

  A photographing frame image processing device 20 as a photograph processing order receiving device is built in a front panel of a card drive unit 21 that captures photographed frame images from various memory cards used in a digital camera, and a camera-equipped mobile phone. A USB cable 22 for receiving a photographed image from the memory, a keyboard 23 functioning as a user operation input unit, a color monitor 24 with a monitor screen displaying various information including a list of inputted photographed frame images facing forward, and this A touch panel 25 mounted on the monitor 24 and a printer 26 for outputting various information sheets are provided. The control of these various devices and the processing of various data are performed by the controller 40 built in the photographed frame image processing apparatus 20.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, each function constructed by hardware or software in the controller 40 using a general-purpose personal computer as a core member of the photographing frame image processing apparatus 20 includes an inputted photographing frame image. Creation of a graphic operation screen including an image input unit 42 developed in the memory 41, an operation screen when inputting a shot frame image, an operation screen when selecting a shot frame image, and a user operation through such a graphic operation screen A GUI unit 43 that constructs a graphic user interface (hereinafter abbreviated as GUI) that generates control commands and management data from an input, a frame image management unit 44 that manages an input captured frame image, and an input captured frame image Image processing such as generating a reduced-size frame image for the operation screen from An image processing unit 45 that performs image processing for photo retouching including reduction / enlargement / rotation processing and transparency on a frame image, and scattered image print management that determines a layout for a scattered image print using a large number of captured frame images Module 46, template layer storage unit 47 for managing and storing template layers used in the scattered image print management module 46, order contents input through the order input operation screen, and a photo print image after completing necessary image processing The image for printing the scattered image is transferred as print information (print data) to the photo printing apparatus 100 via the communication port, and the print order receipt printed with the order contents and the print fee is issued through the printer 26. Information creation unit 48 That.

  The image input unit 42, when the captured frame image captured by the memory card includes a thumbnail image (low resolution data), is used for the purpose of displaying a list on the monitor 24. In the memory 41 specified by the address linked to the resolution data), if the thumbnail image is not included, a reduced image is created from this data, and the thumbnail image is similarly linked to the address of this data. Expands to the specified memory 41. The addresses of the shot frame images and thumbnail images in the memory 41 are managed by the frame image management unit 44.

  The GUI unit 43 includes an operation screen generation unit 43a that generates an operation screen such as the photographed frame image selection screen 70 illustrated in FIG. 8 and an operation command management unit 43b that manages operation commands acquired through various operation screens. . On this photographed frame image selection screen 70, the photographed frame images for one memory card are sequentially displayed in the photographed frame image display frame 71 for image check. The photographed frame image display frame 71 is arranged by the number of display frames selected in the display frame number setting field (not shown). In FIG. Above each captured frame image display frame 71, a frame identification code display field 72 for displaying the frame number of the captured frame image or the captured frame image file name displayed in the captured frame image display frame 71 is arranged. A color density correction setting area 73 and a print number setting area 74 are arranged below each photographed frame image display frame 71. The color density correction setting area 73 is provided with setting frames of “yellow”, “magenta”, “cyan”, and “density”, and the correction amount “N” represents neutral and means no correction. The print number setting area 74 is provided with an input frame for inputting the number of prints. When a numerical value is set in this input frame, a conventional photographic print corresponding to the numerical value is output. When “pass” is displayed in this input frame, the photographed frame image is not subject to the conventional photographic print, but is subject to the scattered image print.

  When the check of the shot frame image displayed on the shot frame image selection screen 70 is completed, the next shot frame image can be checked by pressing the arrow button, and the “pass” is not passed by pressing the OK button. The shot frame image is subjected to image processing for normal photo print output, and the “passed” shot frame image is scattered to print out the image, so the information of the “passed” shot frame image is scattered. Passed to the management module 46.

  Note that for users who do not want the scattered image print service using the “passed” shot frame image, whether or not the scattered image print service for canceling this service is required on the scattered image print service screen shown in FIG. . On the scattered image print service screen, the number of output normal photo prints is also displayed for confirmation.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the scattered image print management module 46 is “passed” in the number of photographed frame images formed on one print recording medium to be a scattered image print, usually on the photographed frame image selection screen 70. An image number calculation unit 46a that calculates the number of photographed frame images, and the number of image frames that approximate the number of photographed frame images that are scattered images calculated by the image number calculation unit 46a and that are equal to or greater than the number of the photographed frame images. When creating a template layer selection unit 46b for selecting one or more template layers from the template layer storage unit 47 and a single selected template layer, and a plurality of selected template layers An execution template layer that superimposes these template layers and sets the execution template layer When the number of image frames included in the setting unit 46c and the set execution template layer exceeds the number of photographed frame images calculated by the image number calculation unit 46a, that is, when there is a remainder in the image frame, an extra image frame The image frame adjustment unit 46d for invalidating the image frame, and the shot frame image as a scattered image for each image frame in the execution template layer whose number of image frames is adjusted by the image frame adjustment unit 46d as necessary is randomly or in advance The scattered image frame link unit 46e that automatically links based on the set agreement, and the photographing that should be made transparent when the upper image portion is made transparent in the overlapping region of the photographed frame images as desired. Included is an image transparency command unit 46f that commands a frame transparency and a transparent area to an image transparency unit 45a included in the image processing unit 45. To have.

  The image number calculation unit 46a calculates the number of shot frame images “passed” on the shot frame image selection screen 70 as the number of scattered images included in one scattered image print. When the maximum number of images exceeds the maximum number of image frames that can be obtained by combining the prepared template layers, it is distributed to multiple scattered image prints and the number of shot frames for each scattered image print is calculated. It will be.

  When the number of image frames included in the set execution template layer exceeds the number of photographed frame images calculated by the image number calculation unit 46a, the image frame adjustment unit 46d automatically invalidates the excess image frames. However, when the number of extra image frames is several or more, it is preferable to remove the extra image frames and balance the whole according to human senses. Therefore, in this embodiment, when an extra image frame is generated, the image frame adjustment unit 46d displays an image frame adjustment screen 80 as illustrated in FIG. The image frame is deleted.

  It is convenient to delete the excess image frame using the image frame adjustment screen 80 by the operator on the store side, not by the user. In this case, the frame image management function including the scattered image print management module 46 may be implemented in the computer of the operation station 100A, or image frame adjustment work may be performed through a monitor attached to the operation station 100A.

  The image frame adjustment screen 80 includes an execution template layer display area 81 that schematically displays an execution template layer, and a part of the attribute information of the displayed execution template layer, for example, the execution template layer. An execution template layer attribute information display area 82 for displaying the contents of the template layer and the number of image frames included in the execution template layer, the number of photographed frame images actually used as scattered images, and an extra image frame A guidance comment display area 83 for guiding the number, that is, the number of deletions is included. The operator can select an image frame to be deleted from the image frames displayed in the template layer display area 81 of the image frame adjustment screen 80 and determine a deleted image frame (indicated by x) by double-clicking.

  A procedure for generating scattered image print data in the photographic processing system configured as described above will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Before entering the scattering layout routine, the shot frame image output as a conventional photo print and the number of prints are designated from the shot frame image recorded on the memory card inserted by the customer through the shot frame image selection screen 70. The information of the remaining frame images not designated is scattered from the GUI unit 43 and given to the image print management module 46.

  First, the number of scattered images as the captured frame images included in the scattered image print as shown in FIG. 3 is calculated from the information of the remaining captured frame images that are not designated (# 01). When the number of images is calculated, a combination of template layers that can create an image frame that is equal to or larger than the number of images and is as close as possible to the number of images is selected (# 02).

  The selected template layer is read from the template layer storage unit 47, and if there are a plurality of read template layers, the execution template layers are set by superimposing them (# 03). It is checked whether the number of image frames included in the set execution template layer matches the number of scattered images (# 04). If the number of image frames and the number of scattered images do not match, the image frame adjustment screen 80 as described above is used to invalidate the remaining image frames and perform adjustment to scatter the number of image frames and match the number of images (# 05).

  As shown in FIG. 3, for the execution template layer having the same number of image frames and the number of scattered images, the shot frame image as a scattered image is randomly linked to each image frame of the execution template layer, and the link data Is recorded as attribute information of the execution template layer (# 06). In the attribute information of the execution template layer, data such as the coordinate position, tilt posture, and size of each image frame, and the identification code of the shot frame image fitted therein are recorded. Based on the information, the captured frame image as a scattered image is subjected to reduction processing, rotation processing, and the like, and is inserted into a corresponding image frame area assigned to the bitmap memory defined by the execution template layer (# 07). The scattered image print data developed on the bitmap memory in this way is transferred to the print information creation unit 48, where it is converted and generated into scattered image print data (# 08).

  The print information creation unit 48 also generates print data for conventional photographic prints, and these print data are sent to the photographic printing apparatus 100, and conventional photographic prints and scattered image prints are used for output.

  In the embodiment described above, the photographic frame image processing device 20 as the photographic processing order receiving device is connected to the photographic printing device 100 via the data transmission line. However, the photographic frame image processing technology according to the present invention is applied to the photographic printing device 100. A photo print system may be employed in which an operator of a photo print store that has implemented and received a purchase order specifying a photo recording medium and a shot frame image to be printed from a user performs all operations.

Explanatory drawing of the template layer used for the scattered image print by this invention Illustration of an execution template layer created by superimposing multiple template layers Explanatory drawing which shows typically the procedure of the scattered image printing by this invention 1 is a schematic external view showing an example of a photographic processing system incorporating a photographed frame image processing technique according to the present invention. Cross-sectional explanatory drawing schematically showing the configuration of the print station Schematic diagram showing the configuration of the controller of the imaging frame image processing device Functional block diagram for explaining the functions related to the present invention built in the controller of the photographing frame image processing apparatus Monitor screen diagram showing an example of the shot frame image selection screen Monitor screen that allows you to select whether you need a scattered image print service Monitor screen with image frame adjustment screen displayed Flowchart showing a generation routine for print data for scattered image printing

Explanation of symbols

20: Shooting frame image processing device 43: GUI unit 44: Frame image management unit 45: Image processing unit 45a: Image transparency unit 46: Scattered image print management module 46a: Image number calculation unit 46b: Template layer selection unit 46c: Execution Template layer setting unit 46d: Image frame adjustment unit 46e: Scattered image frame link unit 46f: Image transparency command unit 47: Template layer storage unit 48: Print information creation unit 100: Photo printing apparatus

Claims (4)

In a photographing frame image processing apparatus that generates print data for outputting a plurality of photographing frame image prints in which a plurality of photographing frame images are formed on a print recording medium having a predetermined print size,
At least a first template layer in which a plurality of image frames for fitting the captured frame images are randomly arranged, and a larger number of image frames than the first template layer are the first template layer A template layer storage unit that stores a second template layer that is randomly arranged so that image frames that overlap when overlapped do not overlap more than a predetermined level;
An image number calculating unit for calculating the number of photographed frame images in the plurality of photographed frame image prints;
A template layer selection unit that selects one or more template layers from the template layer storage unit in order to approximate the number of the shot frame images and create an image frame equal to or greater than the number of the shot frame images;
An execution template layer setting unit that sets an execution template layer by superposing the selected template layer as it is when there is a single template layer and a plurality of selected template layers;
An image frame link unit linking the plurality of captured frame images to each image frame of the execution template layer;
A print information generating unit that generates print data for printing a plurality of shot frames in which the shot frames linked to the image frames of the execution template layer are inserted into the image frames;
A photographed frame image processing apparatus. The photographed frame image processing according to claim 1, further comprising an image frame adjustment unit that invalidates an extra image frame when the number of image frames of the execution template layer exceeds the number of photographed frame images. apparatus. The photographed frame image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image frame link unit randomly selects a photographed frame image linked to the image frame. 4. The shooting frame image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is incorporated, and a shooting frame designated by a user through a shooting frame image selection screen among shooting frame images included in the inserted photo recording medium. In a photo processing system that outputs an image as a photo print,
A photo processing system for outputting, as the plurality of shot frame image prints, shot frame images not designated by a user among the shot frame images.

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