JP2799092B2 - Camera with printer and its cartridge - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a camera with a printer,
In particular, the present invention relates to a camera with a printer that visually records an image represented by an image signal output from an imaging device such as a solid-state imaging device on an image recording medium such as a thermosensitive recording paper, and a cartridge for an image recording medium used therein. Things.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Currently available cameras of this type with a printer have only one type of recording paper size. But,
When an image is printed with a camera, not only a large screen size but also a small screen size may be required. When a small screen size is required, such a camera is configured to reduce the size of a captured image and print the image.

[0003]

Therefore, an image having a small screen size is recorded on a very small part of the recordable area of a recording sheet having only one type of screen size, and thus the recording paper is wasted.

An object of the present invention is to provide a camera with a printer capable of using image recording media of various screen sizes without waste, and a cartridge for the image recording media, in which the disadvantages of the prior art are eliminated. Aim.

[0005]

According to the present invention, an image pickup means for picking up an image of a scene and outputting a video signal representing the image of the scene, and displaying the image represented by the video signal on an image recording medium. In a camera with a printer having a recording means for temporarily recording, the image recording medium is substantially rectangular as a whole, is releasably supported on a long support of a predetermined width,
The image recording medium is prepared for each of a plurality of types of screen sizes in support units, and the recording means is selectively and detachably loaded with image recording media of a plurality of types of screen sizes. The camera has a viewfinder having a viewing area for visually recognizing a scene to be imaged. The viewfinder has a plurality of viewing frame displays for visually displaying areas corresponding to a plurality of types of screen sizes in the viewing area.

According to the present invention, there is further provided an image recording medium cartridge removably mounted in such a camera with a printer. The cartridge has an elongated support having a predetermined width, which releasably supports a substantially rectangular image recording medium, and a display indicating a screen size of an image recordable on the image recording medium. The width is constant regardless of the screen size of the image recording medium.
It is prepared for each screen size of the image recording medium.

[0007]

According to the present invention, an operator loads a support having an image recording medium of a desired screen size into a camera, and, when taking a picture, uses a viewfinder to display an image inside a field frame display corresponding to the screen size. The photographing is performed in such a manner that the object scene is visually recognized.

[0008]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a camera with a printer and a cartridge thereof according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a cartridge 100 applied to a camera with a printer according to the present invention is provided with, for example, three types of heat-sensitive recording media 10, 14 and 18 of different sizes. As shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, the cartridge 100 is detachably mounted on a camera 200 with a printer.

The thermal recording medium 10 of the cartridge 100 shown in FIG. 1A is large enough to record an image (frame) of the maximum screen size that the camera 200 can record. The recording medium 10 is substantially rectangular as a whole,
It forms a so-called seal print that can be peelably attached to a predetermined frame position on the surface of a substrate 12 such as paper, and the peeled recording medium 10 can be attached to another. The thermosensitive recording medium 14 of the cartridge 100 shown in FIG. 1B has a size capable of recording an image having a medium screen size in the camera 200. The recording medium 14 is also rectangular as a whole, and is releasably attached to a predetermined frame position on the surface of the base paper 16. Similarly, the recording medium 1 of the cartridge 100 shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 8 denotes a size capable of recording an image having a minimum screen size in the camera 200. The recording medium 18 is also rectangular as a whole, and is releasably attached to a predetermined frame position on the surface of the base paper 20.

The constants such as the size of the housing of the cartridge 100 and the width W of the base papers 12, 16 and 20 are substantially the same regardless of the type of the recording media 10, 14 and 18.
The base papers 12, 16 and 20 configured as described above are long supports having a width W, and are wound in a roll shape as shown in FIG.
Stored in 0. Holes 12a, 16a and 20a are formed in the base papers 12, 16 and 20 at the positions of the respective frames. These holes 12a, 16a, and 20a are formed at predetermined frame positions corresponding to the sizes of the recording media 10, 14, and 18, respectively, and thereby have a function of defining the position of each frame with respect to the camera 200. In the present embodiment, these holes 12a, 16a and 20a have different sizes from each other, and are uniquely determined according to the sizes of the recording media 10, 14 and 18. As will be described later, the camera 200 can identify the types of the recording media 10, 14, and 18 by identifying the sizes of these holes 12a, 16a, and 20a.

The camera 200 with a printer according to the present embodiment includes a viewfinder 22 having a field of view as shown in FIG. The camera 200 has a solid-state imaging device 24 (FIG. 3) such as a CCD, which will be described later, and shoots an object scene. The field of view of the viewfinder 22 is
A frame image picked up by the solid-state imaging device 24 can be displayed in an area frame A of the maximum screen size, inside which a display of an area frame B of a medium screen size and an area of the minimum screen size are displayed. The display of the frame C is formed visually. These area frames A, B, and C correspond to the screen sizes of the recording media 10, 14, and 18, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 3, the camera 200 of this embodiment has a solid-state imaging device 24, which captures an object scene and sends one frame of image signal representing the image to a signal processing circuit 29. Output. The signal processing circuit 29 is a circuit that performs signal processing such as gradation correction and stores the resulting image signal in the frame memory 26 in the form of digital data. Note that the frame memory 26 does not necessarily have to be provided. The image signal stored in the frame memory 26 is transmitted to a signal processing circuit 29.
And supplied to the head drive circuit 30. The head drive circuit 30 is a circuit that drives the heating element head 32 in response to the image signal. In the present embodiment, the heating element head 32 has a row of heating elements (not shown) that are developed to a width substantially close to the width W of the base paper 12, and the base paper 12, 16 or 20 has a cartridge at the end thereof. It is fed in the direction of arrow V from 100,
Pressed by platen 34.

In the operating state, the operator first loads any one of the thermal recording media 10, 14 or 18 into the camera 200. The control circuit (not shown) of the camera 200 includes a platen 34
To feed the base paper 12, 16 or 20 in the direction of arrow V. The top position is determined by holes 12a, 16a or 20a. At the time of photographing, the field of view is visually recognized by the viewfinder 22 so that the desired subject falls within the area frame A, B or C corresponding to the screen size of the loaded recording medium 10, 14 or 18. Press the shutter release button (not shown). In response to this, the solid-state imaging device 24 captures an object scene and outputs an image signal of one frame of the image to the signal processing circuit 29. Signal processing circuit
29 performs signal processing such as gradation correction on the image signal and temporarily stores the signal in the frame memory 26. This image signal is
The data is read from the frame memory 26 to the head drive circuit 30 through the signal processing circuit 29, and the head drive circuit 30 drives the heating element head 32 in response thereto. At this time, the base paper 12, 16 or 20 is fed at a predetermined speed to the tip of the head 32 in the direction of the arrow V, and thus the image represented by the image signal is visibly displayed by the heating element head 32. , 14 or 18
Will be recorded.

As can be seen from the above description, the head 32
The recording medium 10, 14 or 18 carried on the base paper 12, 16 or 20 having substantially the same width is fed to the leading end of the paper, and an image is recorded. All or a part of the area is recorded according to the size of the recording medium 10, 14, or 18. In other words, if the cartridge 100 of the recording medium 14 or 18 having a small size is loaded, the portion corresponding to the area frame B or C of the image of one frame is recorded without being reduced. The recorded base paper 12, 16, or 20 is further fed and discharged outside the apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 4, another embodiment of the present invention is provided with a sensor 28 for detecting the holes 12a, 16a and 20a of the base papers 12, 16 and 20. In this embodiment, a reduction circuit 31 for reducing a screen represented by an image signal of one frame in accordance with the output of the sensor 28 is provided at the output of the signal processing circuit 29. In this embodiment, when the operator loads any one of the thermal recording media 10, 14, or 18 into the camera 200, the platen 34 is driven and the base paper 12, 16, or 20 is fed in the direction of arrow V. At this time, the sensor 28 detects the type of the thermal recording medium 10, 14 or 18 by the holes 12a, 16a or 20a. In response to the sensor 28, the reduction circuit 31
Set the reduction ratio of the screen corresponding to the output of. Depending on the size of the recording medium 10, 14 or 18 loaded at this time, the non-reduced reduction ratios, ie, the same reduction ratio, the medium reduction ratio, and the maximum reduction ratio are selectively set. . The operator presses a shutter release button (not shown) so that the desired subject falls within the field of view of the viewfinder 22, that is, inside the area frame A. In response, an image signal of one frame output from the solid-state imaging device 24 is transferred to the reduction circuit 31 via the signal processing circuit 29 and the frame memory 26 in the same manner as the operation in the embodiment shown in FIG. You. The reduction circuit 31 reduces the screen by thinning out the image signal at the reduction rate set at that time, and the reduced image signal is output to the head driving circuit 30.
Is read out. In this manner, an image of a size corresponding to the size is visually recorded on the recording medium 10, 14, or 18 at the same size or reduced size. Note that cartridge 100
For example, an identification display (not shown) such as a barcode or a symbol is formed on the housing of the recording medium 10, 14 and 18 in accordance with the type of the recording medium 10, and a position for identifying the display as shown by a dotted line 28a in FIG. A sensor equivalent to the sensor 28 may be provided at the second position.

Referring to FIG. 5, in still another embodiment of the present invention, the output of the sensor 28 is connected to the viewfinder 22a, and the viewfinder 22a responds to the output of the sensor 28 by setting the area frame A, B or A mechanism is provided for selecting any one of C and providing the operator with a corresponding visual field. In this embodiment, when the operator loads any one of the thermal recording media 10, 14, or 18 into the camera 200, the sensor 28 is moved by the holes 12a, 16a, or 20a as in the embodiment shown in FIG. , 14 or 18 are detected. Sensor 28
In response to this, the viewfinder 22a displays the screen size corresponding to the detection result, that is, the loaded recording medium 1
A field frame A, B, or C corresponding to a screen size of 0, 14, or 18 is set. The operator presses the shutter release button so that the desired subject falls within the set area frame A, B, or C. Subsequent operations are the same as in the embodiment shown in FIG.

[0017]

As described above, according to the present invention, a frame display indicating a visual field corresponding to the recording area of the image recording medium is provided in the viewfinder, so that the operator can record an image of any size. Can be learned. In addition, since the size of the recording area differs depending on the type of the cartridge, wasteful consumption of the recording medium, such as recording a small screen image on a recording medium having a large image size as in the related art, is minimized. You.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of a recording medium of a cartridge used in a camera with a printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a field of view of a viewfinder of a camera with a printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram showing an embodiment of a camera with a printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram similar to FIG. 3, showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram similar to FIG. 3, showing still another embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 14, 18 Thermal recording media 12, 16, 20 Base 12a, 16a, 20a Hole 22, 22a Viewfinder 24 Solid-state imaging device 28 Sensor 31 Reduction circuit 32 Heating element head 100 Cartridge 200 Camera with printer A, B, C View frame display

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] An image pickup means for picking up an image of a field and outputting a video signal representing the image of the field, and a recording means for visually recording an image represented by the video signal on an image recording medium. In the camera with a printer, the image recording medium is substantially rectangular as a whole, and is releasably supported on a long support having a predetermined width, and the image recording medium has a plurality of types of screen sizes. The recording means is provided with an image recording medium of a plurality of types of screen sizes which is selectively and detachably mounted on the recording means, and the camera has a visual field for visually recognizing an object image picked up by the image pickup means. A viewfinder having an area, wherein the viewfinder has a plurality of view frame displays for visually displaying areas corresponding to each of the plurality of screen sizes in the view area. Camera with printer. 2. The camera according to claim 1, wherein a display indicating a screen size of an image recording medium carried by the support is formed on the support, and the camera is formed on the support. A camera, comprising: detection means for detecting a display, wherein the viewfinder has means for selectively setting any of the plurality of field frame displays in response to the detection means. 3. The camera according to claim 1, wherein a display indicating a screen size of an image recording medium carried by the support is formed on the support, and the camera is formed on the support. A camera comprising: detecting means for detecting display; and reducing means for reducing an image represented by the video signal in response to the detecting means and providing the reduced image to the recording means. 4. A detachable camera equipped with a printer that visually records an image of the object scene represented by the image signal from an image signal formed by imaging the object scene on a substantially rectangular image recording medium as a whole. An image recording medium cartridge loaded in the cartridge, the cartridge includes: a long support having a predetermined width, which releasably supports the substantially rectangular image recording medium; and a screen of an image recordable on the image recording medium. A display indicating a size, wherein the predetermined width is constant without depending on a screen size of the image recording medium, and the cartridge is prepared for each screen size of the image recording medium. Image recording medium cartridge. 5. The cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the support has a hole for positioning the position of a frame of the image recording medium for each position of the frame, and the display indicates a size of the hole. A cartridge characterized by being formed as a cartridge.