JP2014068222A - Image processing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image processing apparatus in which image search can be carried out smoothly, and the detail of an image subjected to certain image processing can be checked easily.SOLUTION: A printer as an example of an image processing apparatus includes a card reader 102 for reading a thumbnail image and a main image of a predetermined image file from a recording medium such as a memory card, an image display unit 110 for displaying the read images on a display panel 214, and a system control unit 106 for setting the trimming of an image displayed on the display panel 214. When displaying an image to which trimming is set, on the display panel 214, the system control unit 106 displays the main image of the image to which trimming is set, on the display panel 214 together with a trimming frame, even if it is set that the thumbnail image is displayed on the display panel 214.

Description

  The present invention relates to a display control technique in an image processing apparatus that searches and displays an image from a recording medium such as a memory card in which a main image and a thumbnail image are recorded together as an image file.

  In recent years, memory cards have been widely used as storage media for portable devices such as digital cameras and mobile phones, so that many users can easily carry large amounts of image files. It has become to. Therefore, there is a need for an image search technique that can quickly find an image desired by a user from a large number of image files.

  On the other hand, even under such circumstances, there is a need to search for an image while displaying the image recorded on the recording medium on the display screen. However, in order to display the next image when searching for a desired image while sequentially sending the images one by one with a digital camera or a printer, it is necessary to decode and display the image information once. Therefore, when searching for a desired image from many images, it may take a very long time. Therefore, instead of displaying the main image (the image displayed on the full size of the display screen), a technique has been proposed in which a plurality of thumbnail images created by reducing the main image are displayed and printing is designated. (See Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-173767 A

  However, details of the image cannot be confirmed with the thumbnail image. In particular, when performing print settings such as trimming or image processing such as red-eye correction on an image to be designated for printing, it is better to be able to confirm the details of the image before printing. In view of this, it is conceivable that a thumbnail display mode and a main image display mode are provided, a thumbnail display mode with a short display time is used when sending an image, and a method of using the main image display mode is used to check the details of the image. However, the mode change operation feels troublesome for the user.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a technique that can smoothly perform an image search and can easily confirm details of an image that has been subjected to predetermined image processing or the like.

  An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a thumbnail image reading unit that reads a thumbnail image of a predetermined image file from a plurality of image files stored in a recording unit, and a main image reading unit that reads a main image of the predetermined image file. Display means for displaying the thumbnail image read by the thumbnail image reading means or the main image read by the main image reading means, trimming setting means for setting trimming for the image displayed on the display means, and the trimming setting When displaying the image trimmed by the means on the display means, the main image of the trimmed image is trimmed even if the thumbnail image is set to be displayed on the display means. Control means for displaying on the display means together with a frame; Characterized in that it obtain.

  According to the present invention, an image can be searched at high speed by displaying a thumbnail image when performing an image search. On the other hand, details of an image that has been subjected to predetermined processing such as trimming or image processing can be easily confirmed by displaying the main image.

1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a schematic configuration of a UI operation unit included in the printing apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the image selection screen for every image display mode in 1st Embodiment in a printing apparatus. It is a figure which shows the example of the edit menu display screen in the single main image display mode and single thumbnail display mode in 1st Embodiment in a printing apparatus. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a trimming setting screen in the first embodiment in the printing apparatus. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image selection screen in each display mode when trimming is set for a display image in the first embodiment of the printing apparatus. 6 is a flowchart of processing for displaying an image selection screen in the first embodiment of the printing apparatus. It is a figure which shows an example of the image selection screen for every image display mode in 2nd Embodiment in a printing apparatus. It is a flowchart of the process which displays the image selection screen in 2nd Embodiment in a printing apparatus.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, a printing apparatus is taken up as an example of an image processing apparatus according to the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an image pickup apparatus such as a digital camera, a mobile phone terminal having a camera function, a personal computer, and the like are also included in the image processing apparatus according to the present invention.

<< First Embodiment >>
<Schematic configuration of printing device>
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a printing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The printing apparatus includes a power supply unit 101, a card reader 102, a communication unit 103, an I / O control unit 104, a ROM (nonvolatile memory) 105, a system control unit 106, and a RAM (volatile memory) 107. Is provided. The printing apparatus includes an image processing unit 108, a VRAM area 109, an image display unit 110, a UI operation unit 111, an image correction unit 112, a print image generation unit 113, a printing unit 114, and an auxiliary storage unit. 115.

  The power supply unit 101 constitutes a printing apparatus and supplies power to each unit that requires power supply. The card reader 102 reads image data from an image file stored in a recording medium such as various memory cards attached to the printing apparatus. In addition, it is good also as a structure provided with the image reading means for reading not only the card reader 102 but image data from recording media, such as CD or DVD. The communication unit 103 receives image data transmitted from the image supply device by being connected to an image supply device such as a digital camera. The image data handled in the present embodiment is assumed to be in JPEG format in which the thumbnail image and the main image are one image file.

  The I / O control unit 104 controls data input and output by the communication unit 103 and the card reader 102. Further, the I / O control unit 104 determines which data input / output of the communication unit 103 or the card reader 102 is to be enabled, and performs exclusive control so that both are not enabled simultaneously. A ROM (nonvolatile memory) 105 stores a program for controlling the printing apparatus, menu image data for operating the printing apparatus, and the like.

  The system control unit 106 reads out, expands, and executes a program stored in the ROM 105 to control each unit of the printing apparatus and perform overall control of the printing apparatus, and further, is necessary for various processes. Perform arithmetic processing.

  A RAM (volatile memory) 107 temporarily stores image data read from the communication unit 103 or the card reader 102 through the I / O control unit 104, print designation data by the user, and trimming setting data. The RAM 107 is used as a temporary storage area for data used in the arithmetic processing / synthesis processing by the system control unit 106. The system control unit 106 functions as a main image reading unit that reads main image data from image data held in the RAM 107, and also functions as a thumbnail image reading unit that reads thumbnail images.

  The image processing unit 108 performs image processing such as decompression processing, resizing or trimming from JPEG image data read from the RAM 107 or the ROM 105 to the YUV format. The VRAM area 109 holds screen data to be displayed on the display panel 214 (see FIG. 2) provided in the image display unit 110. The image processing unit 108 generates display data by expanding and resizing the image read out by the I / O control unit 104 and held in the RAM 107, and the generated display data is held in the VRAM area 109. The As a result, an image can be displayed on the display panel 214 of the image display unit 110. In addition, by holding the operation data held in the ROM 105 in the VRAM area 109, a menu screen or the like can be displayed on the display panel 214 of the image display unit 110.

  The image display unit 110 reads display image data and operation data held in the VRAM area 109 under the control of the system control unit 106 and displays an image, a menu image, or the like on the display panel 214. The UI operation unit 111 includes a power button, a print button, and various operation buttons for operating a menu displayed on the display panel of the image display unit 110, as will be described later.

  The image correction unit 112 corrects the brightness, contrast, color, and the like of the YUV image created by the image processing unit 108 according to the printing conditions determined by the user through the printing condition setting screen displayed on the display panel 214. Perform image processing. The print image generation unit 113 generates print data of an image designated for printing by the UI operation unit 111 and sends the print data to the printing unit 114. Specifically, the print image generation unit 113 converts the image data in the YUV format corrected by the image correction unit 112 into image data in the YMC format, and, if necessary, for the YMC converted image, Performs composition processing such as stamps, balloons, and character strings.

  In this embodiment, the printing unit 114 employs a sublimation thermal transfer recording method, and prints an image on a sheet using an ink cartridge in which an ink sheet and a sheet are integrated. The ink sheet covers the print area of the paper, and is provided with the yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) ink layers and the overcoat (OP) layer arranged side by side. It is what was done. The printing unit 114 thermally transfers one color to the paper while feeding the paper, and then repeats the process of returning the paper to the recording start position and thermally transferring another color to the paper, thereby sequentially transferring the ink on the paper. To do. When printing of all colors (Y, M, and C) is completed, the printing unit 114 finally transfers the overcoat layer to the paper and ends the printing process. In order to perform such processing, the printing unit 114 (not shown) is a thermal head that sublimates ink on the ink sheet, a paper conveyance unit that conveys paper, and a print that controls the operation of the thermal head and the paper conveyance unit. A control unit is provided.

  Specifically, the auxiliary storage unit 115 is a hard disk drive, a flash memory, or the like, and stores YUV data, Jpeg data, printing conditions, and the like after image correction.

<Schematic configuration of UI operation unit 111>
FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a schematic configuration of the UI operation unit 111. The UI operation unit 111 includes an operation panel 201 and various operation buttons arranged on the operation panel 201. Note that a display panel 214 of the image display unit 110 is disposed on the operation panel 201.

  The UI operation unit 111 includes a POWER button 202, a MENU button 203, an EDIT button 204, a left button 205, a right button 206, a + (up button) button 207, a − (down button) button 208, and an OK button 209. The UI operation unit 111 includes an enlarge button 210, a reduce button 211, a BACK button 212, and a PRINT button 213.

  The POWER button 202 is used to turn on / off the printing apparatus. By pressing the MENU button 203, a menu screen is displayed on the display panel 214. The EDIT button 204 is used for displaying an edit menu, rotating a trimming frame, and the like. The left button 205 is used when returning the display image to the previous one or when moving the trimming frame or the focus frame. The right button 206 is used when the display image is advanced by one, or when a trimming frame or a focus frame is moved. The + button 207 is used when increasing the number of printed sheets or when moving a trimming frame or a focus frame. The − button 208 is used to reduce the number of printed sheets or move a trimming frame or a focus frame.

  An OK button 209 is used to determine various selection items. The enlargement button 210 is used when enlarging the size of the trimming frame or switching the display mode (when performing display settings on the display panel 214). The reduction button 211 is used when reducing the size of the trimming frame or switching the display mode. The BACK button 212 is used to return to the previous screen displayed on the display panel 214. When the PRINT button 213 is pressed, printing is started. The display panel 214 is, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic EL display, and displays an image, various icons, print setting conditions, a print progress state, and the like.

<Image display mode>
An operation in the image display mode of the printing apparatus will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image selection screen for each image display mode in the first embodiment of the printing apparatus. The image display mode of the printing apparatus is divided into three modes: a single main image display mode shown in FIG. 3A, a single thumbnail display mode shown in FIG. 3B, and an index display mode shown in FIG. It is configured. Note that when the display mode is changed, the changed display mode is held by the RAM 107.

  When the reduction button 211 is pressed in the single main image display mode, the mode changes to the single thumbnail display mode, and when the reduction button 211 is pressed in the single thumbnail display mode, the mode changes to the index display mode. Conversely, when the enlarge button 210 is pressed in the index display mode, the mode changes to the single thumbnail display mode, and when the enlarge button 210 is pressed in the single thumbnail display mode, the mode changes to the single main image display mode. The main image data is used for the display image 301 in the single main image display mode, and the thumbnail image data is used for the display image 302 in the single thumbnail display mode and the display image 303 in the index display mode.

  The frame 304 shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B displays the designated number of prints for the display image, and the frame 305 shown in FIGS. 3A to 3C displays the number of print sheets. ing. In FIG. 3B, a guidance display 306 that prompts the transition to the trimming screen is displayed. When the EDIT button 204 is pressed in the single main image display mode and the single thumbnail display mode, the display on the display panel 214 shifts to the edit menu display screen (see FIG. 4). A focus frame 307 shown in FIG. 3C indicates which thumbnail image is selected from the plurality of display images 303 displayed in the index display mode.

<Example of edit menu display screen>
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an edit menu display screen in the printing apparatus, FIG. 4A is an example of an edit menu display screen in the single main image display mode, and FIG. 4B is a single thumbnail display. It is an example of the edit menu display screen in mode.

  On the edit menu display screen, an edit menu 401 on which items relating to image processing such as red-eye correction for the display image and print settings such as trimming are displayed is displayed. In the example of FIGS. 4A and 4B, the state where “trimming” is indicated by the focus frame, that is, the state where “trimming” is selected is shown, and the OK button 209 is pressed in this state. The trimming setting is accepted, and the display on the display panel 214 shifts to the trimming screen shown in FIG.

<Example of trimming screen>
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a trimming screen. The main image data is used for the display image 501 on the trimming screen. The trimming frame 502 can be moved by pressing the left button 205, the right button 206, the + button 207, and the-button 208, and can be rotated by pressing the EDIT button. When the OK button 209 is pressed, the trimming frame is confirmed, and the display on the display panel 214 shifts to the image selection screen shown in FIG. When the BACK button 212 is pressed, the screen returns to the previous screen (any one of FIGS. 4A and 4B).

<Example of image selection screen when trimming is set>
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image selection screen in each display mode when trimming is set for a display image. The main image data is used for the display image 601 in the single main image display mode shown in FIG.

  In the display image 603 in the single thumbnail display mode shown in FIG. 6B, the trimming indicating that the thumbnail image and the trimming setting have been made until the main image data can be read and displayed. An icon 604 is displayed. Then, at the timing when the main image can be displayed, as shown in FIG. 6C, the display image 603 is displayed using the main image, the trimming frame 605 is superimposed, and the trimming icon 604 is displayed. It is hidden.

  In the index display mode 607 shown in FIG. 6D, a thumbnail image is used and a trimming icon 608 indicating that trimming has been set is displayed side by side.

<Image selection screen display processing>
FIG. 7 is a flowchart of processing for displaying an image selection screen. Each process in FIG. 7 is realized by the system control unit 106 developing a program stored in the ROM 105 on the RAM 107 to perform a predetermined calculation and controlling the operation of each block constituting the printing apparatus.

  First, the system control unit 106 determines whether or not the index display mode is set (step S701). If it is not the index display mode (NO in S701), the system control unit 106 advances the process to step S705 described later.

  When the index display mode is set (YES in S701), the system control unit 106 determines whether the display image has been trimmed (step S702). If trimming has been completed (YES in S702), the system control unit 106 displays a trimming icon (trimming icon 608 in FIG. 6D) indicating that trimming has been completed (step S703). When the image is not trimmed (NO in S702) and when the process of step S703 is completed, the system control unit 106 displays a thumbnail image (step S704), and then ends the process.

  In step S705 (when the index display mode is not set in step S701), the system control unit 106 determines whether or not the single main image display mode is set. If it is not the single main image display mode, that is, if it is the single thumbnail display mode (NO in S705), the system control unit 106 advances the process to step S709 described later.

  If it is in the single main image display mode (YES in S705), the system control unit 106 determines whether or not the display image has been trimmed (step S706). When trimming has been completed (YES in S706), the system control unit 106 displays a trimming frame (trimming frame 602 shown in FIG. 6A) (step S707). When the image is not trimmed (NO in S706) and when the process of step S707 is completed, the system control unit 106 displays the main image (step S708), and then ends the process.

  In step S709 (when the single thumbnail display mode is set), the system control unit 106 determines whether the display image has been trimmed. If trimming has not been performed (NO in step S709), the system control unit 106 displays a thumbnail image (step S710), and then ends this processing. If trimming has been completed (NO in step S709), the system control unit 106 determines whether preparation for displaying the main image has been completed (step S711).

  When the preparation for displaying the main image is not completed (NO in S711), the system control unit 106 displays a trimming icon (trimming icon 604 in FIG. 6B) (step S712), and then displays a thumbnail image. (Step S713). Further, the system control unit 106 performs display preparation (reading and decoding of the main image data) of the main image (step S714), and subsequently hides the trimming icon displayed in step S712 (step S715).

  When the preparation for displaying the main image is completed (YES in S711) and when the processing in step S715 is completed, the system control unit 106 displays a trimming frame (step S716), and then displays the main image. (Step S717) Then, this process is terminated.

<< Second Embodiment >>
In the first embodiment, the image display form when trimming is performed on the main image has been described, but in the second embodiment, the image display when image processing such as red-eye correction is performed on the display image. A form is demonstrated. In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, the processing contents by the system control unit 106 are different, but the schematic configuration of the printing apparatus is the same. Therefore, description of the schematic configuration of the printing apparatus is omitted here.

<Image display mode>
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of an image selection screen for each image display mode in the second embodiment of the printing apparatus, and illustrates an image selection screen when image processing is performed on the main image.

  An image obtained by performing image processing on the main image is displayed on the display image 801 in the single main image display mode shown in FIG. In the display image 802 in the single thumbnail display mode shown in FIG. 8B, thumbnail images and image processing are set until the main image data can be read and the main image can be displayed. An image processing icon 804 is displayed. At the timing when the main image can be displayed, as shown in FIG. 8C, an image obtained by performing image processing on the main image is displayed on the display image 802, and the image processing icon 804 is not displayed. It is displayed.

  As the display image 803 in the index display mode shown in FIG. 8D, a thumbnail image is used and an image processing icon 804 is displayed.

<Image selection screen display processing>
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of processing for displaying an image selection screen. Each process in FIG. 9 is realized by the system control unit 106 expanding a program stored in the ROM 105 to the RAM 107 to perform a predetermined calculation and controlling the operation of each block constituting the printing apparatus.

  First, the system control unit 106 determines whether or not the index display mode is set (step S901). If it is not the index display mode (NO in S901), the system control unit 106 advances the process to step S905 described later.

  If the index display mode is set (YES in S901), the system control unit 106 determines whether image processing is set for the display image (step S902). When image processing is set (YES in S902), the system control unit 106 displays an image processing icon (image processing icon 804 in FIG. 8D) indicating that image processing is set. When the image processing is not set (NO in S902) and when the processing in step S903 is completed, the system control unit 106 displays a thumbnail image (step S904), and then ends this processing.

In step S905 (when the index display mode is not set in step S901), the system control unit 106 determines whether or not the single main image display mode is set.
If it is not the single main image display mode (NO in S905), the system control unit 106 advances the process to step S909 described later. If it is the single main image display mode (YES in S905), the system control unit 106 determines whether or not image processing is set for the display image (step S906). When the image processing setting has been made (YES in S906), the system control unit 106 performs the image processing set for the main image (step S907). When the image processing setting has not been made (NO in S906) and when the processing in step S907 is completed, the system control unit 106 displays the main image (step S908), and then ends the processing.

  In step S909 (when it is not the single main image display mode in step S905, that is, when it is the single thumbnail display mode), the system control unit 106 determines whether image processing is set for the display image. When the image processing setting has not been made (NO in S909), the system control unit 106 displays a thumbnail image (step S910), and then ends this processing. On the other hand, if image processing settings have been made (YES in S909), the system control unit 106 determines whether preparation for displaying the main image has been completed (step S911).

  When the preparation for displaying the main image is not completed (NO in S911), the system control unit 106 displays the image processing icon (the image processing icon 804 in FIG. 8B) (step S912), and then the thumbnail. An image is displayed (step S913). Thereafter, the system control unit 106 prepares to display the main image (reads and decodes the main image data) (step S914), and then hides the image processing icon displayed in step S912 (step S915).

  When the display preparation of the main image is completed (YES in S911) and when the process of step S915 is completed, the system control unit 106 displays the main image (step S917), and then ends the process.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, image search in the set image display mode can be performed at a high speed, and an image that has been subjected to predetermined processing such as trimming or image processing can be used as a book. Details can be easily confirmed by displaying an image.

<Other embodiments>
Although the present invention has been described in detail based on preferred embodiments thereof, the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments, and various forms within the scope of the present invention are also included in the present invention. included. Furthermore, each embodiment mentioned above shows only one embodiment of this invention, and it is also possible to combine each embodiment suitably.

  For example, when a thumbnail image on which the trimming icon 608 is displayed in the index display mode shown in FIG. 6D is selected, the mode shifts to the single thumbnail display mode. Then, after the selected thumbnail image is displayed as shown in FIG. 6B, the state automatically shifts to the state shown in FIG. 6C where the main image corresponding to the selected thumbnail image is displayed. It is good also as composition to do. In addition, when a thumbnail image in which the trimming icon 608 is not displayed in the index display mode shown in FIG. 6D is selected, the process proceeds to the single main image display mode, and the main image corresponding to the selected thumbnail image is displayed. It can be set as the structure which will be in the state of Fig.6 (a). Similar processing can be performed in the example of FIG.

  The present invention can also be realized by executing the following processing. That is, software (program) that realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments is supplied to a system or apparatus via a network or various storage media, and a computer (or CPU, MPU, etc.) of the system or apparatus reads the program code. It is a process to be executed. In this case, the program and the storage medium storing the program constitute the present invention.

102 Card reader 105 Non-volatile memory (ROM)
106 System control unit 107 Volatile memory (RAM)
108 Image Processing Unit 110 Image Display Unit 111 UI Operation Unit 112 Image Correction Unit 113 Print Image Generation Unit 114 Printing Unit

Claims (8)

Thumbnail image reading means for reading a thumbnail image of a predetermined image file from a plurality of image files stored in the recording means;
A main image reading means for reading a main image of the predetermined image file;
Display means for displaying the thumbnail image read by the thumbnail image reading means or the main image read by the main image reading means;
Trimming setting means for setting trimming for the image displayed on the display means;
When displaying an image that has been trimmed by the trimming setting means on the display means, even if it is set to display a thumbnail image on the display means, a book of the image that has been trimmed. An image processing apparatus comprising: control means for displaying an image on the display means together with a trimming frame.   The control means performs the trimming by the thumbnail image corresponding to the main image and the trimming setting means until the main image reading means can read the main image and display the main image on the display means. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an icon indicating that the setting is made is displayed on the display unit. A display setting unit configured to set the display unit to display a plurality of thumbnail images read from the plurality of image files stored in the recording unit;
In a case where the plurality of thumbnail images are set to be displayed on the display unit, when the image on which the trimming setting has been made is displayed on the display unit, the control unit is configured to display the image on which the trimming setting has been made. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a thumbnail image of the image is displayed instead of the main image. Selecting means for selecting one thumbnail image from the plurality of thumbnail images when a plurality of thumbnail images are displayed on the display means;
When trimming is set for the thumbnail image selected by the selection unit, the control unit displays the main image corresponding to the selected thumbnail image together with a trimming frame on the display unit. The image processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3. Thumbnail image reading means for reading a thumbnail image of a predetermined image file from a plurality of image files stored in the recording means;
A main image reading means for reading a main image of the predetermined image file;
Display means for displaying the thumbnail image read by the thumbnail image reading means or the main image read by the main image reading means;
Image processing setting means for setting execution of predetermined image processing on the image displayed on the display means;
Image processing means for executing the predetermined image processing on the image set by the image processing setting means;
When displaying the image with the image processing setting on the display means, even if the thumbnail image is set to be displayed on the display means, the main image processed by the image processing means is displayed. An image processing apparatus comprising: control means for displaying on the display means.   The control means sets the image processing setting by the thumbnail image corresponding to the main image and the image processing setting means until the main image processed by the image processing means can be displayed on the display means. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an icon indicating that the image has been displayed is displayed on the display unit. A display setting unit configured to set the display unit to display a plurality of thumbnail images read from the plurality of image files stored in the recording unit;
When the plurality of thumbnail images are set to be displayed on the display unit, the control unit is configured to display the image processing setting on the display unit when the image processing setting is displayed on the display unit. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a thumbnail image corresponding to the main image is displayed instead of the main image. Selecting means for selecting one thumbnail image from the plurality of thumbnail images when a plurality of thumbnail images are displayed on the display means;
When the image processing setting is made for the thumbnail image selected by the selection unit, the control unit displays the main image having the image processing setting corresponding to the selected thumbnail image on the display unit. The image processing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the image processing apparatus is an image processing apparatus.