JP3177354B2 - Image synthesis device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image synthesizing apparatus used in a video printer, and more particularly, to a gradation image,
The present invention relates to an image synthesizing apparatus that synthesizes various images such as a title image, on-screen characters, and a mute screen.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A video taken by a video camera is directly converted into a hard copy by a video printer, or a title image such as a title name and a shooting date is embedded and synthesized, and then converted into a hard copy for viewing. Has been used as. In a video printer, on-screen characters for notifying the display of time, operation information, and the like and a trouble are displayed on a screen of a monitor television in a combined manner.
Furthermore, when the captured image data is deleted or when only the title image is displayed, a mute image having a white or blue background is combined with the title image and displayed.

For example, a general method of synthesizing a gradation image and a title image at the time of monitoring is to use a gradation image memory and a title image memory to store the gradation image input from an electronic still camera, a movie, or the like. The image data is written into the gradation image memory, and the input title image data is similarly written into the title image memory. The gradation image data is read from the gradation image memory, and the D / A converter converts the gradation image data into an analog video signal. In synchronization with this, the title image data is read from the title memory.
For the title image, a circuit for outputting a signal (color signal) having an arbitrary offset voltage (luminance level) is provided, and an analog switch is switched according to the presence or absence of title image data, and a scanning timing for displaying the title image is provided. At the time, a color signal is output instead of the analog video signal. The synthesized video signal thus synthesized is converted into an NTSC signal and then sent to a monitor to display a synthesized image on the screen. At the time of printing, a composite image signal is sent to a printing system, and the composite image is printed by, for example, thermal recording.

When the on-screen characters are also synthesized, priority is given to the on-screen characters, and in the pixels where the on-screen characters are displayed, the color signals of the pixels of the on-screen characters are extracted by analog switches.

[0005]

However, as described above, in the method using an analog switch, a D / A converter is required every time an image to be synthesized is increased.
The circuit becomes complicated, and the level of the output signal of each D / A converter needs to be adjusted, which leads to an increase in cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to provide an image synthesizing apparatus having a small number of parts and a small number of adjustment points.

[0007]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is provided in correspondence with each of a plurality of images to be synthesized , and a combination of the corresponding images is provided.
The presence or absence of a pixel to be formed is determined for each pixel as a 1-bit determination signal.
A plurality of signal generating means for outputting to, on the basis of the respective determination signals of the corresponding pixels of the respective images to be output in synchronization from the signal generating means <br/>, was to a predetermined priority
Determining means for determining for each pixel the images to be selected I, double
A color image of a pre-designated color provided for each number of images
A plurality of color decoders for outputting data;
Among the plurality of color image data output from da, every pixel of the color image data of the image determined in the <br/> determining means
And a selector for selecting and outputting.

[0008] Further, the invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that the synthesis
Of gradation images with the lowest priority among multiple images
Are provided for each of the remaining multiple images.
The presence / absence of a pixel to be synthesized of the corresponding image is determined by a 1-bit decision signal.
A plurality of signal generating means for outputting for each pixel as a signal,
Correspondence of each image synchronously output from each signal generation means
Based on each determination signal of the pixels
Select from the remaining plurality of images according to the priority order.
The image to be selected is determined for each pixel and should be combined
For each pixel that each judgment signal indicates that there is no pixel
Is the image to select the gradation image with the lowest priority
Determining means for determining each of the remaining plurality of images
Provided and outputs color image data of a pre-specified color
The color image data of the gradation image.
And stores the color image data in synchronization with the output of the judgment signal.
An image memory for outputting for each pixel;
Of multiple color image data output from the image memory
That is, color image data of the image determined by the determination means.
And a selector for selecting and outputting for each pixel.
is there. In addition, the invention according to claim 3 provides a plurality of
An image as the gradation image and the remaining plurality of images
Title image, on-screen text, mute screen
And assigns the priority to the on-screen text and title screen.
The image, the mute screen, and the gradation image are arranged in this order.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video printer using the present invention. A video camera or a video player is connected to the input terminal 1, and a video signal of a reproduced video (gradation image) is sent to the RGB demodulation circuit 2 via the input terminal 1, where a red signal and a green signal are transmitted. Signal and blue signal. These signals are sampled by the A / D converter 3 for each pixel, and then one pixel is converted into a 1-byte (8-bit) digital signal for each color. The obtained red gradation image data, green gradation image data, and blue gradation image data for each pixel are sent to a red frame memory 4a, a green frame memory 4b, and a blue frame memory 4c, respectively. Are written to the addresses specified by.

The title of the gradation image, such as the title and the date and time,
It is converted to a video signal by using a titler or by photographing an original with a video camera. This video signal is sent to the binarization circuit 5 via the input terminal 1, where each pixel of the title image is converted into 1-bit title data from the luminance signal level and sent to the title memory 6. In the title memory 6, data of “1” is written to an address designated by the memory controller 7 only for a pixel of a portion desired to be displayed as a title image such as a title character or an illustration.

At the time of monitoring or printing, the frame memories 4 a to 4 c sequentially read out the gradation image data of each pixel by the memory controller 7 and send them to the input port 8 e of the selector 8. When title synthesis is instructed, the system controller 9 instructs the memory controller 7 to read the title. The memory controller 7 reads the title data written in the title memory 6 in synchronization with the reading of the frame memories 4a to 4c, and sends the title data to the color decoder 10a. The title data is used as a title determination signal by the signal selection control circuit 11.
Also sent to.

When the display of the mute screen is instructed, the system controller 9 outputs the mute signal to the color decoder 10.
Send out continuously to b. This mute signal is also sent to the signal selection control circuit 11 as a mute determination signal. When frame placement is instructed, the system controller 9 sends a frame signal to the color decoder 10c to display or print a frame of a predetermined width around one screen. This frame signal is used as a frame determination signal by the signal selection control circuit 1.
Sent to 1.

The character character generator 12 receives from the system controller 9 an operation guide, a description of a failure, a character designation command of an on-screen character representing the date and time, etc., and reads the character pattern data of each character from the character ROM 12a. The character pattern data is sent to the color decoder 10d in dot units according to the timing signal generated by the system controller 9. The character pattern data is also sent to the signal selection control circuit 11 as a character determination signal.

When the color of the title image is specified by the user, the system controller 9 specifies the title color to the color decoder 10a. Similarly, the system controller 9
Specifies the mute color to the color decoder 10b when the mute color is specified, and specifies the color decoder 10b when the frame color is specified.
Specify the frame color in c. An on-screen character color is set in the color decoder 10d in advance. Note that the on-screen character color may be changed.

The color decoders 10a to 10d respectively provide a title color,
A total of 24 bits of red, green, and blue data of 8 bits each corresponding to a mute color, a frame color, and an on-screen character color are generated. The color decoder 10a sends the generated title color data to the input port 8a of the selector 8. Similarly, color decoder 10b sends mute color data to input port 8b, color decoder 10c sends frame color data for each color to input port 8c, and color decoder 10d sends on-screen character color data to input port 8d. send.

As shown in FIG. 2, the signal selection control circuit 11 selects an input port of color data corresponding to a judgment signal having a higher priority from the input judgment signals. If not input, the selector 8 outputs to the selector 8 a selection signal for selecting the input port 8e to which the gradation image data is input. The priority order is the character determination signal, title determination signal, mute determination signal,
It is the order of the frame determination signal.

The selector 8 performs a 2
Input ports 8a to 8e having input terminals of 4 bits (8 bits for one color) are provided, input ports are switched according to a selection signal, and color data input to the input ports is output as 24 bits. Output from the output port 8f having the terminal. In this way, the image is synthesized with the digital data, and the synthesized image data of each color is output to the output port 8f.
It is output to the D / A converter 13 or the image processing circuit 14.

At the time of monitoring, the composite image data of 8 bits for each color is input to the D / A converter 13. The composite image data is converted to an analog signal by the D / A converter 13 and then converted to an NTSC signal by the encoder 15. This NTSC signal is displayed on the monitor (home TV) 16 as a composite image. By observing the monitor 16, it is possible to know the composite state of the various images of the gradation image, the title image, the background of the mute color, and the frame, and whether the color of each image is appropriate. Further, by displaying the on-screen characters, it is possible to know the operation guide of the video printer, the occurrence of the failure, and the time.

At the time of printing, the image processing circuit 14 performs a masking process using the composite image data of three colors or converts the composite image data into yellow, cyan, and magenta composite image data. Of the three color composite image data, only the color to be printed, for example, yellow image data, is extracted and sent to the head driver 17. The head driver 17 selectively drives a large number of heating elements formed in a line shape of the thermal head 18 in accordance with image data.
Then, a yellow image is thermally recorded on line 9 for each line. A combined image is thermally recorded on the thermosensitive recording paper 19 in three color planes sequentially by using light fixing.

A keyboard 20 is connected to the system controller 9, and by operating the keyboard 20, an image is taken in, a title color is specified, a mute color is specified, a frame color is specified, and mute, It is possible to instruct frame insertion, title composition, and print.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described. First, the user operates the keyboard 20 to give an instruction to capture a gradation image. The video signal reproduced by a video camera, etc.
The data is input to the video printer via the input terminal 1. The fetched video signal is signal-converted by an RGB demodulation circuit 2 and an A / D converter 3, converted into 8-bit gradation image data for each color, and written to each of the frame memories 4 a to 4 c by a memory controller 7. The written gradation image data of each color is sequentially read for each pixel, and
Port 8e.

At this time, the signal selection control circuit 11 sends a selection signal for selecting the gradation image data to the selector 8 because there is no judgment signal at this time. The selector 8 selects the input port 8e according to the selection signal and outputs gradation image data of each color from the output port 8f. Output port 8f
The output gradation image data of each color is displayed on the monitor 16 via the D / A converter 13 and the encoder 15 as shown in FIG.

When the title image is combined with the gradation image, the keyboard 20 is operated to give an instruction to take in the title. A title image captured by a video camera or the like is taken into a video printer via an input terminal 1. The captured video signal of the title image is converted to a binarizing circuit 5.
From the luminance signal level, each pixel of the title image is 1
The title memory 6
Is written to.

When the title color is designated by operating the keyboard 20 after the input of the title image, the title color is designated by the system controller 9 to the color decoder.
When the keyboard 20 is further operated to instruct title synthesis, the memory controller 7 causes the title memory 6 to be displayed.
Is read out for each pixel and sent to the color decoder 10a, where it is converted into 8-bit title color data corresponding to the title color and sent to the input port 8a.

On the other hand, the signal selection control circuit 11 sends a selection signal instructing selection of the input port 8a to the selector 8, since a title determination signal is input to the pixel having title data. This selector 8 has an input port 8
Select a and output the title color data from the output port 8f. In the case of a pixel without title data, a selection signal instructing selection of the input port 8e is output to the selector 8. The selector 8 selects the input port 8e and outputs gradation image data from the port 8f. In this way, the gradation image data and the title data are synthesized for each pixel. As shown in FIG. 4, a composite image in which the title image of the title color is embedded in the gradation image is displayed on the monitor 16.

At this point, to check only the state of the title image, the user operates the keyboard 20 to specify the mute color and issues a mute instruction. Since the mute color is designated by the color decoder 10b, the color decoder 10b
From b, mute color data of 8 bits for each color corresponding to the mute color is sent to the input port 8b.

At the same time, a mute determination signal is input to the signal selection control circuit 11. For a pixel having title data, a title determination signal and a mute determination signal are input to the signal selection control circuit 11, but a title determination signal having a higher priority than a mute determination signal is given priority. 8a is selected and title color data is output. For pixels without title data, only a mute determination signal is input to the signal selection control circuit 11 without inputting a title determination signal, so that the selector 8 selects the input port 8b and outputs mute color data.

In this manner, the selector 8 outputs the composite image data of the mute color data and the title data, and the composite image of the title image having the title color with the mute color as the background as shown in FIG. Will be displayed. By checking the composite image, it is possible to check whether or not the title image is missing. When the mute instruction is released after the confirmation of the title image, the mute determination signal is not output, and the composite image of the gradation image and the title image is displayed on the monitor 16 again.

Here, when the user designates a frame color by operating the keyboard 20, and then gives a frame insertion instruction, the system controller 9 specifies the frame color to the color decoder 10c. Further, the system controller 9 sends a frame signal to the color decoder 10c at the timing of displaying the frame. In addition, since the frame determination signal is input to the signal selection control circuit 11, the frame determination signal has a lower priority than the title determination signal. Therefore, for a pixel having title data, the title data is output from the selector 8. For a pixel for which a frame is displayed without title data, frame color data is output. For pixels having no title data and no frame displayed, gradation image data is selected and output.

As shown in FIG. 6A, a frame is displayed around the gradation image on the monitor 16, and a composite image in which a title image is embedded in these frames is displayed. Also,
When the title composition is released, the title image disappears and the composite image of the gradation image and the frame is displayed as shown in FIG.
When a mute instruction is given, no frame is displayed because the frame determination signal has a lower priority than the mute determination signal.

When it is necessary to display on-screen characters when only the above-described various composite images or gradation images are displayed on the monitor 16, the system controller 9 sets the character character generation circuit 12 To generate character pattern data. This character pattern data is sent to the color decoder 10d,
The signal is sent to the signal selection control circuit 11 as a determination signal.

At the pixels where the dots of the characters of the on-screen characters are to be displayed, the character selection signal is input to the signal selection control circuit 11, and the signal selection control circuit 11 outputs the selection signal for selecting the input port 8d. The selector 8 selects the on-screen character color data sent from the color decoder 10 d and sends it to the D / A converter 13. For the pixels that do not display the dots of the characters of the on-screen characters, the data corresponding to the determination signal having the higher priority is output from the selector 8 as described above.

In this manner, the on-screen character color data of the on-screen character is combined with each color data, and the combined image is displayed. FIG. 7A shows a state in which a gradation image, a title image, and an on-screen character are combined. FIG. 7B shows a state where the frames are further combined.

When printing, the monitor 16 displays a gradation image to be printed or a synthesized image obtained by synthesizing various images with the gradation image, confirms this, and instructs the keyboard 20 to print. When printing is instructed, the system controller 9 stops the operation of the character pattern data generation circuit 12 so that on-screen characters are not printed. The combined image data combined by the selector 8 is sent to the image processing circuit 14.

The composite image data is supplied to the image processing circuit 14
Sent to The image processing circuit 14 stores composite image data for each pixel in a buffer for one line of each color, and masks each composite image data of each color for one line each time data for one line is stored. After performing processing, color conversion processing, and the like, only yellow image data is extracted and sent to the head driver 17. The head driver 17
The thermal head 18 is driven to thermally record a yellow image line by line on the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer of the thermosensitive recording paper 19. After thermal recording of the yellow image, the thermosensitive recording paper 19 is irradiated with ultraviolet light of 420 nm to fix the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer.

After the thermal recording of the yellow image, the platen drum makes one revolution and the thermal recording paper 19 is again
At position 8, thermal recording of the magenta image is started. Even in the thermal recording of the magenta image, the selector 8 combines the images again. The image processing circuit 14 stores the combined image data in a buffer line by line, performs masking processing, color conversion processing, and the like, sends the magenta image data to the head driver 17, and drives the thermal head 18. The thermal head 18 thermally records a magenta image line by line on a magenta thermosensitive coloring layer of a thermosensitive recording paper 19. After the thermal recording of the magenta image, the thermal recording paper 19 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays of 365 nm to fix the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer.

After the thermal recording of the magenta image, the cyan image is thermally recorded line by line on the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer of the thermosensitive recording paper 19. No light fixing is performed on the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer.

In the above embodiment, the priority order for selecting each data is in the order of on-screen character, title image, mute, frame, and gradation image in descending order.
A different order may be used.

[0039]

As described above, according to the image synthesizing apparatus of the present invention, each of the color decoders provided for each image is used.
Input color image data to the selector,
The presence or absence of a pixel to be combined with an image is determined as a 1-bit determination signal.
Generated by a plurality of signal generating means provided for each image.
Therefore, it is determined whether to output the color image data of any image with a predetermined priority based on each determination signal. Therefore, the color of any image is determined based on the predetermined priority. The configuration for determining whether to output image data can be reduced in size, and the
No need for large memory to store color image data itself
It can be. Also, the gradation image with the lowest priority
For the image, each judgment signal indicates that there is no pixel
Is selected at times, so for gradation images
Eliminates the need for judgment signals and reduces circuit size
Can be. Furthermore, by giving the highest priority to the on-screen characters, the operation guide and the details of the failure are displayed without being hidden by other images, which is convenient for handling the equipment.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a video printer with a composition function embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a judgment when each data is selectively output.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of monitor display of only a gradation image.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a monitor display when a gradation image and a title image are combined.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of monitor display when a title image is combined with a mute screen.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of monitor display when frames are combined.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a monitor display when on-screen characters are combined.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4a-4c Frame memory 6 Title memory 8 Selector 8a-8e Input port 8f Output port 10a-10d Color decoder 11 Signal selection control circuit 12 Character character generation circuit

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image synthesizing apparatus for synthesizing a plurality of images whose priorities are determined in advance , provided in correspondence with each of a plurality of images to be synthesized .
1-bit determination of presence / absence of pixels to be combined in corresponding image
A plurality of signal generating means for outputting for each pixel as a signal, based on the determination signal of the corresponding pixels of the respective images to be output in synchronization from the respective signal generating means, said priority
Determining means for determining images to be selected for each pixel according, provided for each of a plurality of images, color color picture designated in advance
A plurality of color decoders for outputting image data; and a plurality of color image data output from the respective color decoders.
A selector for selecting and outputting, for each pixel , color image data of the image determined by the determining means among the data. 2. A plurality of images whose priorities are determined in advance
In the image synthesizing apparatus for synthesizing, the floor having the lowest priority among the plurality of images to be synthesized is
Settings for each of the remaining multiple images
The presence or absence of a pixel to be synthesized in the corresponding image is 1 bit.
Multiple signal generators that output pixel-by-pixel determination signals
A pair of a stage and each image synchronously output from each of the signal generating means.
The priority order is determined based on each determination signal of the corresponding pixels.
Select from the remaining multiple images according to
Image is determined for each pixel, and the pixels to be synthesized are
Excellent for pixels for which each determination signal indicates that no
The gradation image with the lowest priority is the image to be selected.
Deciding means for deciding, and a predetermined color provided for each of the remaining plurality of images.
A color decoder that outputs the color image data of
An image that outputs color image data for each pixel in synchronization with output
An image memory, and a plurality of output signals from the respective color decoders and the image memory.
Color image data caries Chi, determined by the determining means image
Selects and outputs color image data of an image for each pixel.
An image synthesizing apparatus, comprising: 3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the plurality of images to be combined are the gradations.
An image and a title image as the remaining plurality of images,
On-screen text, mute screen, priority order
Places are on-screen text, title image, mute image
3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the image is in the order of the surface and the gradation image.
Image synthesis device.