JP2012199810A - Trimming device and printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To trim an object image to have a desired shape by a simple operation.SOLUTION: When the trimming of an image is indicated, the image is trimmed by repeating: processing for receiving the input of a cutoff line (S130, S140); processing for dividing the image by the received cutoff line (S150); processing for setting a deletion object between the two divided images (S160-S200); and processing for deleting the image of the set deletion object (S210). In this case, when the repetition times N of the trimming is lower than predetermined times Nref, the image designated by a user is set as the deletion object between the two divided images. When the repetition times N is equal to or more than the predetermined times Nref, the image with a smaller area is set as the deletion object between the two divided images.

Description

  The present invention relates to a trimming apparatus that trims a target image and a printing apparatus that includes the trimming apparatus and prints an image trimmed by the trimming apparatus.

  Conventionally, this type of trimming apparatus accepts an input of an erasable range and a provisional erasure range by a user for an object drawing, obtains a logical sum of the erasable range and the provisional erasure range, and calculates the obtained logical sum. Has been proposed for partially erasing the subject graphic with the actual erasure range (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP-A-7-105210

  However, in the above-described trimming apparatus, for example, when considering a case of trimming a rectangular image into a complicated shape such as a heart shape or a star shape, a complicated operation is required to input an erasure range. It is extremely difficult for a user unaccustomed to trimming to a desired shape.

  The main object of the trimming apparatus and the printing apparatus of the present invention is to enable a target image to be trimmed to a desired shape by a simple operation.

  The trimming apparatus and the printing apparatus of the present invention employ the following means in order to achieve the above-mentioned main object.

The trimming device of the present invention is
A trimming device for trimming a target image,
An input receiving process for displaying the target image on the screen and receiving an input of a cut line that touches two points on the outer frame line of the target image by a user operation, and the target image is input as the outer frame line A dividing process for dividing the area into two areas surrounded by the cut line, an erasing target setting process for setting an erasing target area among the two divided areas, and an erasing for erasing the set erasing target area The gist is to trim the target image by repeating the process.

  In the trimming apparatus of the present invention, an input receiving process for displaying a target image on a screen and receiving a cut line touching two points on the outer frame line of the target image by a user operation, and the target image as an outer frame line Dividing processing into two areas surrounded by the input cut line, erasing target setting process for setting an erasing target area among the two divided areas, and erasing the set erasing target area The target image is trimmed by repeating the erasing process. Thus, the user can easily create an image having a desired shape by cutting the target image little by little by the cut line.

  In the trimming apparatus according to the present invention, the erasure target setting process may be a process of setting a region having a smaller area as the erasure target region among the two regions. In this way, it is possible to eliminate the user's trouble of specifying the area to be erased. In the trimming apparatus according to the aspect of the present invention, the erasure target setting process may be performed by selecting an area designated by a user operation from the two divided areas when the number of repetitions of each process is less than a predetermined number. It is set as an area to be erased, and when the number of repetitions of each process is equal to or greater than the predetermined number, the area with the smaller area of the two areas is set as the area to be erased In addition, the erasure target setting process may be performed when the original target image has any one of four sides on the top, bottom, left, and right sides, which is designated by the user's operation among the two divided areas. Is set as the area to be erased, and if any of the four sides of the original target image is erased, the area with the smaller area of the two areas is selected as the area to be erased. It may be assumed to be a process of setting the frequency. In this way, when the image is trimmed by cutting it into a rough shape and then trimming a small portion little by little, it is possible to reduce the user's trouble of specifying the image to be erased.

  Alternatively, in the trimming apparatus of the present invention, the erasure target setting process accepts designation of arbitrary coordinates on a screen on which the target image is displayed by a user operation and includes the designated coordinates of the two areas. The process may be a process of setting an area as the area to be erased, and the erase target setting process accepts designation of arbitrary coordinates on a screen on which the target image is displayed by a user operation and Of the two areas, the area not including the designated coordinates may be set as the area to be erased. In this way, the user can delete one of the two divided areas simply by designating arbitrary coordinates on the screen.

  Alternatively, in the trimming apparatus of the present invention, the erasure target setting process recognizes a face included in the target image and recognizes that a face is included in one of the two areas. May be a process of setting an area that does not include a face as the area to be erased. In this way, it is possible to eliminate the user's trouble of specifying the area to be erased.

  Alternatively, in the trimming apparatus according to the present invention, it is also possible to set the area far from the center coordinates of the original target image among the two areas as the area to be erased. In this way, it is possible to eliminate the user's trouble of specifying the area to be erased.

  The gist of the printing apparatus of the present invention is that it includes the trimming apparatus of the present invention according to any one of the aspects described above, and prints an image trimmed by the trimming apparatus. According to the printing apparatus of the present invention, since the trimming apparatus of the present invention is provided, the effects achieved by the trimming apparatus of the present invention, for example, the user can easily cut an image of a desired shape by cutting the target image little by little with a cut line. The effect that can be created on the screen, the effect of eliminating the user's trouble of specifying the area to be erased, the user can specify one of the two areas divided just by specifying any coordinates on the screen The effect which can be erase | eliminated can be show | played.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view illustrating an external appearance of a printer 20 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing functional blocks of the printer 20 of the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a top menu screen 70. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a trimming printing processing routine. Explanatory drawing which shows the mode of trimming. Explanatory drawing which shows a mode that the image of erasure | elimination object is selected. Explanatory drawing which shows a mode that the image of the deletion object is selected.

  Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view illustrating an external appearance of a printer 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating functional blocks of the printer 20 according to the present embodiment.

  The printer 20 of the present embodiment is configured as a photo printer that includes a printing mechanism 40 (see FIG. 2) and performs printing on L-size paper. As shown in FIG. There is a handle 22 for carrying the main body 21 on the upper surface, an auto sheet feeder 23 for automatically feeding the set paper on the rear surface of the main body 21, and a power button 26 for turning on / off the power on the side surface of the main body 21. , Each provided. In addition, on the front surface of the main body 21, there are a paper discharge tray 24 that holds paper printed by the printing mechanism 40, a liquid crystal display (LCD) 25 for confirming settings for photographs and printing, and a paper discharge tray 24. An infrared communication port 28 at an adjacent position is provided. The infrared communication port 28 has a built-in light receiving unit, and receives light emitted from the light emitting unit 30 a of the remote control device 30 so that the printer 20 can be remotely operated by operating the buttons of the remote control device 30. . The remote control device 30 includes a power button 31 for turning on / off the power as buttons for remotely operating the printer 20, and the printing is stopped when pressed during printing and the number of printed sheets when pressed on the photo selection screen. A stop / setting clear button 32 for canceling the selection of a photograph and a photo, a top menu button 33 for displaying a top menu screen, and a print number setting button for setting the number of prints (plus button and print for increasing the number of prints one by one) (A minus button for reducing the number of sheets one by one) 34, an up / down / left / right button 35 for selecting an item or setting value, an OK button 36 for determining an item or proceeding to the next screen, and a previous screen. A return button 37, a print button 38 for starting printing, a setting button 39 for displaying a setting screen, and the like are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the printing mechanism 40 is driven by a carriage belt 43 that is looped in the left-right direction (main scanning direction) and reciprocates left and right along a guide 42. An ink cartridge 44 that supplies ink of each color such as magenta, yellow, and black; a print head 45 that applies pressure to each ink supplied from each ink cartridge 44 and discharges ink from the nozzle toward the paper S; A transport roller 46 that transports the paper S in the sub-scanning direction. The ink cartridge 44 is a so-called off-carriage type that is attached below the printing mechanism 40 and in which the ink cartridge 44 is not mounted on the carriage 41. Here, the print head 45 employs a method in which a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element to deform the piezoelectric element and pressurize the ink. However, a voltage is applied to a heating resistor (for example, a heater) to heat the ink. A method of pressurizing the ink with the generated bubbles may be employed.

  The LCD 25 is a liquid crystal display with a capacitive touch panel that displays characters, graphics, symbols, and the like under display control by the LCD controller 54 and can be input by a human finger. In the present embodiment, the LCD 25 is composed of pixels of 960 dots × 240 dots.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 20 of the present embodiment has a main controller 60 that controls the entire printer, a printer ASIC 48 that controls the printing mechanism 40, and an infrared communication port 28. An infrared communication controller 52 that processes the input infrared signal as an operation signal, an LCD controller 54 that controls the display of the LCD 25, and a memory card controller that controls the writing and reading of data to and from the memory card MC inserted in the memory card slot 56 58, which are electrically connected to each other via a bus 59.

  The main controller 60 is configured as a microprocessor centered on the CPU 61. The ROM 62 stores various processing programs, various data, various tables, etc., and the RAM 63 temporarily stores data. Even with this, a flash memory 64 for holding data and an interface 65 (I / F) for inputting an operation signal from the power button 26 are provided. The main controller 60 inputs an image file or the like from the memory card MC inserted into the memory card slot 56, inputs an operation signal from the infrared communication controller 52, a detection signal from each part of the printing mechanism 40, or the like. . Further, the main controller 60 stores an edited image or the like in the memory card MC, or outputs a command signal to the printer ASIC 48 or a control signal to the LCD controller 54.

  In the printer 20 of the present embodiment configured as described above, when the top menu button 33 is pressed, the top menu screen is displayed to accept selection of various items. FIG. 3 shows an example of the top menu screen 70. On the top menu screen 70, in the present embodiment, as shown in the figure, a “slide show” for sequentially reproducing image data stored in the memory card MC or the flash memory 64 and a “photo print” for printing a photo. , “Various printing” to perform trimming printing to print a photo by trimming it to a desired shape, layout printing to print a photo in a multi-sided layout, frame printing to add a frame to the photo, etc., in the memory card MC There is an item of “data management” for backing up the data in the flash memory 64. The user can select any of these items by pressing the up / down / left / right button 35 and pressing the OK button 36.

  When “various printing” is selected by the user on the top menu screen 70 and “trimming printing” is further selected, printing is performed from the photos stored in the memory card MC or the flash memory 64 by the photo selection screen. Accepts photo selection, trims the selected photo to the desired shape on the edit screen, accepts the settings for the number of prints, paper size, paper type, border / date of the selected photo on the subsequent setting screen, and selects each setting item When this is done, a preview screen is displayed to wait for the print button 38 to be pressed. When the print button 38 is pressed, the trimmed photograph (RGB data) is read out, the RGB data is resized and converted into CMYK data, and binarized by performing halftone processing on the color-converted CMYK data. Print data is generated, and printing is executed by controlling the print mechanism 40 based on the generated print data.

  Next, the operation of the printer 20 of this embodiment configured as described above, particularly the operation when trimming and printing a photograph will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a trimming print processing routine. This routine is executed when trimming printing is instructed by the user. The trimming printing instruction can be performed by selecting “various printing” on the top menu screen 70 and then selecting “trimming printing” as described above. Hereinafter, the trimming printing processing routine will be described with reference to the state of image trimming illustrated in FIG.

  When the trimming printing process routine is executed, the CPU 61 of the main controller 60 first executes a process of inputting an image to be trimmed (step S100). In this embodiment, in this embodiment, a list of images stored in the memory card MC or the flash memory 64 is displayed on the LCD 25, and an image selected by a user's button operation from the displayed list of images is input. did. Subsequently, an editing screen for trimming the input image is displayed (step S110), and the number of repetitions N described later is initialized to 0 (step S120).

  Then, a cut line input is received on the editing screen (see step S130, FIG. 5 (1)). In this embodiment, in this embodiment, the user traces the trajectory as a cut line by tracing with the finger so as to cross the outer frame line of the photograph. When the cut line is input, it is determined whether or not the input is appropriate, that is, whether or not the cut line is in contact with two points of the outer frame line of the image (step S140). If it is not proper, the process returns to step S130 and accepts the input of the cut line again. On the other hand, if the input of the cut line is appropriate, the image is divided by the cut line (see step S150, FIG. 5 (2)).

  When the image is divided, it is determined whether the number N of repetitions is less than a predetermined number Nref (for example, 5 times) (step S160). When this routine is executed for the first time, the number of repetitions N is 0, so that a positive determination is made in step S160, and the designation of the image to be erased is accepted from the user (step S170), and the designated image is erased. The target is set (see step S180, FIG. 5 (3)). In this embodiment, the image to be erased is displayed on the editing screen by displaying a message such as “Please touch the image to be erased” on the editing screen, and setting the coordinates based on the coordinates on the touched screen. This is done by specifying the image that contains it.

  When the erasure target is set, the image to be erased is erased (step S210, see FIG. 5 (4)), and the repetition count N is incremented by 1 (step S220). Then, it is determined whether or not the trimming is confirmed by pressing the OK button 36 (step S230). If the trimming is not confirmed, the process returns to step S130 until it is confirmed, and the processes of steps S130 to S220 are repeated. (See FIGS. 5 (5) to (7)). As described above, the processes in steps S130 and S140 for inputting the cut line, the process in step S150 for dividing the image by the cut line, and the processes in steps S170 and S180 for setting an erasure target among the two divided images. By repeating the process of step S210 for erasing the set image to be erased, that is, by cutting out the image little by little at the cutting line, even if it is a complicated shape difficult to create with one cut Can be created easily.

  When the processes in steps S130 to S220 are repeated, if it is determined in step S160 that the number of repetitions N is equal to or greater than the predetermined number Nref, the areas of the two divided images are calculated (step S190), 2 Of the two images, the image with the smaller area is set as an erasure target (step S200). This is based on the fact that, when an image is cut out in a complicated shape, it is considered that a desired shape is often obtained by first cutting out into a rough shape and then cutting out small portions little by little. That is, it is based on the fact that an image having a large area tends to be cut out in a scene where the number of repetitions N is relatively small, and an image having a small area tends to be cut out in a scene where the number of repetitions N is relatively large. Note that the calculation of the area of the image can be obtained by measuring the number of pixels (pixels) included in the region of the image.

  When trimming is confirmed in step 230, a preview screen is created with the trimmed image, and the created preview screen is output to the LCD 25 and waits until the print button 38 is pressed (steps S240, S250, FIG. 5 (8)). reference). When the print button 38 is pressed, the printing process is executed (step S260), and this routine is terminated.

  Here, the correspondence between the components of the present embodiment and the components of the present invention will be clarified. The processing in steps S130 and S140 of the trimming printing process routine of FIG. 4 of this embodiment corresponds to “input reception processing” of the present invention, and the processing in step S150 of the trimming printing processing routine corresponds to “division processing”. The processing of steps S160 to S200 of the printing processing routine corresponds to “erasing target setting processing”, and the processing of step S210 of the trimming printing processing routine corresponds to “erasing processing”.

  According to the printer 20 of the present embodiment described above, when image trimming is instructed, a process of accepting an input of a cut line, a process of dividing an image by the accepted cut line, and two divided images Of these, the process of setting the erasure target and the process of erasing the set erasure target image are repeated so that the image is trimmed, so even a complicated shape that is difficult to create with a single crop is relatively easy. Can be created. In addition, when the number N of trimming repetitions is less than the predetermined number Nref, an image designated by the user is set as an erasure target among the two divided images, and when the number N of repetitions is equal to or larger than the predetermined number Nref, the division is performed. Since the image with the smaller area is set as the erasure target, the user designates the erasure target image when trimming the image by cutting it into a rough shape and then cutting out small portions gradually. Can be reduced.

  In the above-described embodiment, when the number N of trimming repetitions is less than the predetermined number Nref, an image designated by the user among the two divided images is set as an erasure target, and the number of repetitions N is equal to or larger than the predetermined number Nref. In this case, the image having the smaller area among the two divided images is set as the erasure target. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the two divided images regardless of the number of repetitions N. Of these, the image with the smaller area may be set as the erasure target, or the image designated by the user may be set as the erasure target among the two divided images regardless of the number of repetitions N. In the former case, the processes in steps S120, S160, S170, and S180 may be omitted. In the latter case, the processes in steps S120, S160, S190, and S200 may be omitted.

  In the above-described embodiment, when the number N of trimming repetitions is less than the predetermined number Nref, an image designated by the user among the two divided images is set as an erasure target, and the number of repetitions N is equal to or larger than the predetermined number Nref. In this case, the image with the smaller area of the two divided images is set as the erasure target. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the outer frame line (four sides) of the original image is completely cut off. Until the image is divided, the image specified by the user is set as the erasure target, and after the outer frame line (four sides) of the original image is completely cut off, the area of the two divided images It is also possible to set an image having a smaller image size as an erasure target. In this case, whether or not the outer frame line (four sides) of the original image has been completely cut out is, for example, by comparing each coordinate on the outer frame line of the image after cutting with each coordinate on the outer frame line of the original image, What is necessary is just to determine whether any one of the coordinates that coincide is present.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, an image is analyzed to recognize a person's face included in the image, and an image that does not include a face among the two divided images is set as an erasure target. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7, an image farther from the central coordinates on the LCD screen (original image) may be set as an erasure target in one of the two divided images. In the latter case, for example, when one of the two divided images includes a center coordinate, an image that does not include the center coordinate is set as an erasure target, and an area of the two divided images If none of these is included in the center coordinates, the image with the shortest distance between the center coordinates and the coordinates on each outer frame line of the two divided images is set as the erasure target. That's fine.

  In the above-described embodiment, the image that includes the specified coordinates among the two images divided by the user specifying arbitrary coordinates on the LCD screen is set as an erasure target. Of the two images, the image that does not include the designated coordinates may be set as an erasure target. In addition, as long as the erasure target can be selected from the two divided images, the user may select by any operation.

  In the above-described embodiment, the LCD 25 is configured by a liquid crystal display with a touch panel, and input of a cut line and designation of an image to be erased are received via the LCD 25. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is also possible to accept input or designation via any input device, such as connecting and using.

  In the above-described embodiment, the present invention has been described by applying it to the printer 20. However, the present invention may be applied to a multifunction printer having a scanner capable of reading a document, or to a FAX apparatus having a FAX function. Good. The present invention may be in the form of a trimming device.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented in various modes as long as it belongs to the technical scope of the present invention.

  20 Printer, 21 Main body, 22 Handle, 23 Auto seed feeder, 24 Discharge tray, 25 Liquid crystal display, 26 Power button, 28 Infrared communication port, 30 Remote control device, 30a Light emitting unit, 31 Power button, 32 Stop / setting clear Button, 33 Top menu button, 34 Print number setting button, 35 Up / down / left / right button, 36 OK button, 37 Back button, 38 Print button, 39 Setting button, 40 Printing mechanism, 41 Carriage, 42 Guide, 43 Carriage belt, 44 Ink cartridge , 45 print head, 46 transport roller, 47 capping device, 48 printer ASIC, 52 infrared communication controller, 54 LCD controller, 56 memory card slot, 58 Memory card controller, 59 bus, 60 main controller, 61 CPU, 62 ROM, 63 RAM, 64 flash memory, 65 interface (I / F), 70 top menu screen.

Claims (9)

A trimming device for trimming a target image,
An input receiving process for displaying the target image on the screen and receiving an input of a cut line that touches two points on the outer frame line of the target image by a user operation, and the target image is input as the outer frame line A dividing process for dividing the area into two areas surrounded by the cut line, an erasing target setting process for setting an erasing target area among the two divided areas, and an erasing for erasing the set erasing target area And trimming the target image by repeating the process. The trimming device according to claim 1,
The erasing target setting process is a process of setting a region having a smaller area as the erasing target region among the two regions. The trimming device according to claim 2,
In the erasure target setting process, when the number of repetitions of each process is less than a predetermined number of times, an area designated by a user operation is set as the erasure target area among the two divided areas, A trimming apparatus, which is a process of setting a smaller area of the two areas as the area to be erased when the number of repetitions of the process is equal to or greater than the predetermined number. The trimming device according to claim 2,
In the erasure target setting process, if any of the four sides of the original target image is left, left, right, left, or right, the area designated by the user's operation among the two divided areas is selected as the erasure target. In the process of setting an area, and when the upper, lower, left, and right sides of the original target image are erased, the area having the smaller area of the two areas is set as the area to be erased. There is a trimming device. The trimming device according to claim 1,
The erasure target setting process accepts designation of arbitrary coordinates on a screen for displaying the target image by a user operation and sets an area including the designated coordinates among the two areas as the erasure target area. Trimming device that is a process to do. The trimming device according to claim 1,
In the erasure target setting process, designation of arbitrary coordinates on the screen displaying the target image is accepted by a user operation, and an area that does not include the designated coordinates among the two areas is set as the erasure target area. Trimming device that is the process to set. The trimming device according to claim 1,
The erasure target setting process recognizes a face included in the target image, and if it is recognized that a face is included in one of the two areas, the face is not included A trimming apparatus, which is a process of setting the area of the image to be the area to be erased. The trimming device according to claim 1,
The erasure target setting process is a process of setting a region far from the center coordinates of the original target image among the two regions as the erasure target region.   A printing apparatus comprising the trimming apparatus according to claim 1 and printing an image trimmed by the trimming apparatus.