JP3763872B2 - Photo printing method and photo printer - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to photo printing, and more particularly to a method and photo printer for creating a photo print (hereinafter referred to as an album print) in which only photos required for one print are arranged in a desired layout as required.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, the number of photos, especially photos for keeping track of children's growth, will increase without your knowledge, and it takes a lot of work to organize these albums. There are many problems with the storage location for thick albums. Therefore, an increasing number of people use an index print as shown in FIG. 3 in which all the frames on a film are arranged in the order of photographing on a single print instead of an album.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventional index print is originally intended for use in organizing photos and searching for frames when reordering, and in the same order in which all the photos in one film were taken on one print. They are simply arranged vertically (vertically or horizontally). Therefore, for example, the need to create a single print by collecting only the necessary photos, excluding photos that are not likely to be reprinted or photos that are only for others, and arranging the required photos in any order. For the need to create a single print, or the need to arrange only the photos required for the theme, such as “eldest son's athletic meet”, in the desired order, etc. I can not cope.
[0004]
In other words, the conventional digital photographic printer and the printing method using the printer are based on a structure and a concept that are conscious only of the structure of the film, and it has not been possible to create a print according to the customer's request.
[0005]
In view of the above problems, the present invention incorporates customer instructions into photo print processing, can arrange only necessary photos, and can further arrange those photos in a desired layout, etc. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and printer for creating an album print that is easy to handle.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The photo print creation method of the present invention stores image data of a plurality of frames of a photograph in a storage medium in association with frame identification information for each frame, and reproduces the visible image with the frame identification information assigned to each frame. Selecting a desired frame from the plurality of frames based on the visible image, and creating album print order information including selected frame instruction information including the frame identification information given to the visible image of the selected frame The image data of the frame instructed by the selected frame instruction information is used from the plurality of frame image data stored in the storage medium using the frame identification information associated with the image data. The image data obtained by the search is configured as an image of a predetermined layout, and the configured image is placed on an image recording medium. Characterized by recording as a print image.
[0007]
Here, the photograph includes a photograph taken with a digital camera or the like that stores an image in a memory, in addition to a photograph taken with an ordinary camera that records an image on a film. Therefore, the image data means image data stored in a memory such as a digital camera in addition to image data obtained by reading a film by a film scanner and image data obtained by reading a photographic print by a reflective original scanner. It shall be. That is, there are no particular limitations on the photographing means or the image digitizing means for acquiring image data.
[0008]
The storage medium for storing the image data may be an auxiliary storage device such as a hard disk built in or connected to the photographic printer, or a removable medium such as a large-capacity floppy disk delivered to the customer together with printing.
[0009]
The frame identification information is information for enabling a desired frame to be identified from a plurality of frames stored as image data. The frame identification information is desirably information that can identify a target frame from among a plurality of photo frames taken with a plurality of films in a storage medium. Further, the visible image provided with frame identification information for each frame is used by the customer to indicate the required frame, and may be, for example, a conventional simultaneous print or index print with the frame identification information added thereto. .
[0010]
The album print order information is an instruction from the customer to the photo shop. The selected frame instruction information included in this information is a frame selected from a plurality of frames visualized, that is, to be included in the album print. This indicates the frame.
[0011]
In the photo print creation method of the present invention, the album print order information includes the placement instruction information of each frame instructed by the selected frame instruction information, and creates an album print having a layout based on the placement instruction information. It is characterized by that. Here, the placement instruction information is used to instruct where on the album print the frame is to be placed.
[0012]
Also, the photo print creation method of the present invention includes an album print of a layout based on the vertical / horizontal composition instruction information including the vertical / horizontal composition instruction information of each frame instructed by the selected frame instruction information in the album print order information. It is characterized by creating. Here, the vertical / horizontal composition instruction information indicates the direction in which each frame is arranged on the album print by the vertical, horizontal, or angle.
[0013]
The photo print creation method of the present invention further includes classification instruction information for classifying a plurality of pieces of frame identification information included in the selected frame instruction information into a plurality of sets in the album print order information. Recording is performed on a separate image recording medium for each group based on the classification instruction information.
[0014]
The image recording medium for recording the album print image may be a medium such as a large-capacity floppy disk as well as a so-called photographic print.
[0015]
Next, a photo printer of the present invention is a printer that creates an album print based on the above photo print creation method, and a storage medium that stores image data of a plurality of frames of photos in association with frame identification information for each frame; , Album print order information input means for inputting album print order information including selected frame instruction information consisting of the frame identification information corresponding to a desired frame selected from the frames, and stored in the storage medium Among the plurality of frame image data, the frame image data associated with the image data of the frame designated by the selected frame instruction information input by the album print order information input means A search means for searching using information and image data searched by the search means are stored in a predetermined record. An image construction means for constructing a out of an image, characterized by comprising a recording means for recording the image composed by the image composition unit in the image recording medium as the album print image.
[0016]
The image composition by the image composing means can be performed by composing the searched image data according to the layout instructed on the frame memory.
[0017]
【The invention's effect】
According to the photo print creation method of the present invention, the image data of a desired frame is searched from the image data of a plurality of photo frames stored in the storage medium based on the selected frame instruction information included in the album print order information. Thus, by reproducing the image on a single print as an image of a predetermined layout, it is possible to create an album print in which only the frames desired by the customer are arranged on a single print.
[0018]
In the photo print creation method of the present invention, the album print order information further includes placement instruction information for each frame instructed by the selected frame instruction information, so that each frame can be printed on a single print as desired by the customer. You can create an album print with
[0019]
In the photo print creation method of the present invention, the album print order information further includes vertical / horizontal composition information of each frame specified by the selected frame instruction information, thereby arranging each frame in the direction desired by the customer. be able to.
[0020]
Further, the photo print creation method of the present invention includes classification instruction information for classifying a plurality of pieces of frame identification information included in the selected frame instruction information into a plurality of sets, in addition to the album print order information. A plurality of different album prints can be created.
[0021]
Furthermore, the photographic printer of the present invention includes only the desired photograph selected by the customer in one print by including the storage medium, search means for performing the processing as described above, image construction means, and recording means. You can create an album print.
[0022]
As described above, the present invention responds to the actual customer needs for using, for example, a photograph as an album by arranging only the photos necessary for each theme in a desired order from among a number of films. The use of album prints is not necessarily limited to albums, and their fields of use are wide.
[0023]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a photo print creating method and a photo printer according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a photo print creation method according to the present invention. Here, the flow of processing until an album print is created will be roughly divided into two stages.
[0024]
First, one stage is a precondition for obtaining data and information necessary for creating an album print, and is indicated by a solid arrow in FIG. First, a developed photographic film 1 having a plurality of frames is read by a film scanner 2 and digitized to obtain a plurality of frames of image data. However, since it is only necessary to handle each frame of the photograph as image data, if the image has already been digitized, such as when it is taken by a digital camera, the image data may be used as it is.
[0025]
Next, the image data 3 of the plurality of frames obtained as described above is stored in the storage medium 5 in association with the frame identification information 4 for each frame, and the frame identification information 4 is given to each frame by the digital printer 6. A printed print (print obtained by converting the image data 3 into a visible image) 7 is created.
[0026]
Examples of the storage medium 5 include an auxiliary storage device such as a hard disk built in or connected to the digital photo printer system, or a removable medium delivered to a customer together with printing. Also, the frame identification information 4 can identify an image in the storage medium 5 with only the frame identification information 4 by combining, for example, a number for identifying a film and a number indicating the frame number of the film. Any form is acceptable. As a result, it is possible to retrieve and retrieve a target frame from the storage medium.
[0027]
At this time, a print 7 which is a visible image provided with the frame identification information 4 is provided so that the customer can designate the frame to be searched. For example, this is not limited to the conventional simultaneous print or index print added with frame identification information, but may be an image displayed on the display screen together with the frame identification information 4 and selected by the customer.
[0028]
The next stage following the above process is a process of actually creating an album print using the data and information obtained by the above process, and this will be described along the dotted arrow in FIG. The customer provided with the print 7 creates album print order information 8 based on the frame identification information 4 given to the print 7. The album print order information 8 indicates selected frame instruction information 9 including frame identification information of frames to be included in the album print selected from the prints 7 and where the selected frames are to be arranged. Arrangement instruction information 10, vertical / horizontal composition instruction information 11 for instructing whether to arrange a photograph vertically or horizontally at the time of arrangement, and a plurality of frame identification information 4 included in the selected frame instruction information 9 It consists of classification instruction information 12 to be classified into groups.
[0029]
The selected frame instruction information 9 is a set of selected frames selected using the frame identification information 4 given to the print 7. For example, when the frame identification information 4 is a serial number starting from 001 and continuing to 002 and 003 below. , “001, 003, 011, 019” are designated as a set of numbers.
[0030]
Arrangement instruction information 10 may specify an arbitrary position, for example, in (X, Y) coordinates, but if the customer's convenience is taken into consideration, the position where the frame can be arranged is formatted in advance and used. It is desirable to ask for instructions. For example, a layout in which photos are simply arranged in the same manner as in index printing may be used, and a number may be designated in the order in which the photos are arranged. Or, for example, when there are photos of different sizes, panoramic photos, etc., and it is difficult to fit in a predetermined format, an arrangement instruction is given using a pointing device while displaying the album print image on the display screen. A form of performing is also conceivable.
[0031]
The vertical / horizontal composition instruction information 11 may be in any form as long as it can select either vertical or horizontal. Furthermore, if there is a request from the customer, the photograph may be arranged obliquely by specifying an angle or the like.
[0032]
The classification instruction information 12 is used to classify photos and create album prints for each theme. For example, if you take a picture of an athletic meet where two children participate in one film, but want to create albums separately Any form may be used as long as it can instruct each frame identification information 4 included in the selected frame instruction information 9 to which category it belongs. In the present embodiment, the album print order information 8 includes the above-described instruction information 9, 10, 11, and 12. Therefore, the album print order information 8 is eventually classified into the group classified by the classification instruction information 12. There are as many instruction information groups 13 including selected frame instruction information 9, arrangement instruction information 10 and vertical / horizontal composition information 11 as there are.
[0033]
In order to create an album print based on the album print order information 8 created by the customer as described above, first, the image data 3 of the frame designated by the selected frame designation information 9 is identified from the storage medium 5 with the frame identification. The information 4 is searched and read out, and then, based on the image data, an image laid out based on the arrangement instruction information 10 and the vertical / horizontal composition information 11 is formed, and the configured image, that is, an album print The image 20 is printed by the digital printer 6 to create an album print 21.
[0034]
Here, when the album print order information 8 includes the classification instruction information 12, the respective classifications (each instruction information group 13) in which the search, image configuration, and print processing are classified by the classification instruction information 12. A plurality of different album prints 21 are created from one album print order information as shown in FIG.
[0035]
By storing the constructed image separately in the storage medium 5 or another storage medium, when it is necessary to reprint the album print, the album print order information 8 can be quickly input without being input again. Can be printed. In such a case, recording of the album print image 20 does not necessarily mean printing, but means recording on a storage medium or the like.
[0036]
Next, the configuration of a photo printer that creates an album print by the above photo print creation method will be described with reference to FIG. The photographic printer of the present invention includes a storage medium 5 for storing image data 3 of a plurality of frames of a photograph in association with frame identification information 4 for each frame, the selected frame instruction information 9, arrangement instruction information 10, and vertical and horizontal composition information 11. The album print order information input means 18 for inputting the album print order information 8 including the classification instruction information 12 and the image data 3 stored in the storage medium 5 are input by the album print order input means 18. The search means 14 for searching the image data 3 of the selected frame designated by the selected selected frame instruction information 9 using the frame identification information 4 associated with the image data, and the search means 14 The image data is also displayed for each category designated by the classification instruction information 12 input by the album print order input means 18. An image composing unit 15 configured as an image of a layout instructed by the arrangement instruction information 10 and the vertical / horizontal composition information 11 input by the current order input unit, and a frame memory for temporarily storing the image being composed 17 and recording means 16 for creating the album print 21 by recording the image constituted by the image constituting means 15 as the album print image 20 on the image recording medium 19.
[0037]
The album print order input means 18 may be anything as long as it can input the album print order information 8 to the photo printer. For example, a dedicated interface that can be easily input by a button operation or the like may be provided as hardware, or input by a mark sheet But you can. Furthermore, software that can be input interactively on a personal computer and its screen may be used. The album print order information may be input directly by the customer or by a dedicated operator.
[0038]
The search means 14 obtains the selected frame instruction information 9 from the album print order information obtained by the album print order input means 18, and searches the storage medium 5 based on it to obtain a target image. The search method may be any method as long as it is fast enough to withstand practical use. If the input album print order information 8 includes the classification instruction information 12, a search may be performed for each classification, or classification may be performed after obtaining all necessary image data by searching first. May be performed.
[0039]
Here, the image data obtained by the search means 14 is transferred to the image construction means 15 in the order obtained. That is, the processing by the image construction unit 15 is performed in parallel with the retrieval processing by the retrieval unit 14. The image composing means 15 obtains arrangement instruction information 10, vertical / horizontal composition instruction information 11 and classification instruction information 12 corresponding to the received image data from the album print order information 8, and composes an image on the frame memory 17 based on the information. Go. The number of frame memories 17 is not limited to one, and a plurality of frame memories may be used separately when creating a plurality of different album prints.
[0040]
When the search by the search means 14 is completed and all the image data is constructed on the frame memory 17, the image construction means 17 informs the recording means 16 that the construction is complete, and the recording means 16 Is recorded on the recording medium 19. When the recording medium 19 is a print, the recording means 16 may be considered as a digital printer or the like, but as described in the description of the above method, the recording medium for recording the album print image 20 is not necessarily limited to a print.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a photo print creation method according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a photo printer according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a conventional index print.
1 Photo film 2 Film scanner 3 Image data 4 Frame identification information 5 Storage medium 6 Digital printer 7 Photo print 8 Album print order information 9 Selected frame instruction information 10 Placement instruction information 11 Vertical / horizontal composition instruction information 12 Classification instruction information 13 Instruction information group 14 Search means 15 Image construction means 16 Recording means 17 Frame memory 18 Album print order information input means 19 Recording medium 20 Album print image 21 Album print

Claims (5)

The image data of a plurality of frames of the photograph is stored in a storage medium in association with the frame identification information for each frame, and is reproduced as a visible image with the frame identification information assigned to each frame,
A desired frame is selected from the plurality of frames based on the visible image, and selected frame instruction information including the frame identification information given to the visible image of the selected frame and the plurality of frames included in the selected frame instruction information Creating album print order information including classification instruction information for classifying the frame identification information into a plurality of sets ,
The image data of the frame instructed by the selected frame instruction information is obtained from the image data of the plurality of frames stored in the storage medium using the frame identification information associated with the image data. Obtained by searching,
The image data of the frames obtained by the search is configured as an image of a predetermined layout for each group classified by the classification instruction information ,
A method of creating a photographic print, characterized in that the images configured for each set are recorded as album print images on separate image recording media. The album print order information further includes arrangement instruction information for each frame instructed by the selected frame instruction information,
2. The photo print creation method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined layout is a layout based on the arrangement instruction information. The album print order information further includes vertical / horizontal composition instruction information of each frame instructed by the selected frame instruction information,
3. The photo print creation method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined layout is a layout based on the vertical / horizontal composition instruction information. A storage medium for storing image data of a plurality of frames of a photograph in association with frame identification information for each frame;
Including selected frame instruction information composed of the frame identification information corresponding to a desired frame selected from the frames, and classification instruction information for classifying the plurality of frame identification information included in the selected frame instruction information into a plurality of sets. Album print order information input means for inputting album print order information;
Of the image data of the plurality of frames stored in the storage medium, the image data of the frame instructed by the selected frame instruction information input by the album print order information input unit is associated with the image data. Search means for searching using the frame identification information,
Image constructing means for constructing the image data retrieved by the retrieving means as an image of a predetermined layout for each group classified by the classification instruction information ;
A photographic printer comprising: recording means for recording the image constituted by the image composition means for each set as an album print image on a separate image recording medium. 5. The photographic printer according to claim 4, further comprising a frame memory for temporarily storing the image being composed when the image constituting unit composes the image.

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