JP3812133B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus in which an image is formed based on information transmitted via an electronic camera or the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
With the spread of personal computers, electronic cameras that convert captured images into digital data and store them have been developed and are already on the market. A user can display an image captured by an electronic camera on a display of his / her personal computer, for example, and can print it via a printer, so that the application range is wide.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, image data obtained by taking an image with an electronic camera is input to a personal computer or the like via a directly connected cord or a recording medium such as a memory card and the print style is determined. It is printed by a printer connected to a personal computer. Therefore, in order to print an image captured by the electronic camera, a set of image forming systems such as a personal computer and a printer is required in addition to the electronic camera.
[0004]
However, although the printer itself is relatively inexpensive, a personal computer is more expensive than that. Forcing the user of an electronic camera that does not have a personal computer to purchase a personal computer is a heavy burden on the user. Therefore, a printer that receives image data directly from an electronic camera and forms an image based on the image data has been considered. According to such an electronic camera and printer, it is possible to form an image without using a personal computer or the like.
[0005]
However, in such a printer, since there are few buffers for storing image data, printing must be started immediately after receiving one image data. In order to receive and print a plurality of image data. Need a long time. Therefore, the battery of the electronic camera may be consumed during communication, causing a malfunction.
[0006]
An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of quickly printing a plurality of images in view of the problems of the related art.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above-described object, an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a receiving unit that receives image data from an electronic camera, a storage medium that stores image data received by the receiving unit and can be exchanged from the outside of the device , A printing unit that prints image data stored in a storage medium, and the receiving unit determines whether the image data received from the electronic camera corresponds to one image, and the image data is converted into one image. If the image data corresponds , the image data is controlled to be printed by the printing unit. If the image data corresponds to a plurality of images, all of the image data is stored in the storage medium. And a control unit that controls the image data stored in the storage medium to be read out gradually and printed by the printing unit.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the printer according to the first embodiment. In FIG. 1, a printer as an image forming apparatus includes a control unit 1 including a main microcomputer having an ASIC and a DRAM, a sub microcomputer, and the like. The control unit 1 includes a paper feeding unit 2 that feeds photographic paper, a print head 3, a memory card interface unit 4, a serial interface unit 5, an IrDA communication interface unit 6, an AC adapter sensor 7, and a nonvolatile memory. The memory 8, the liquid crystal panel 9, various switches 10, and the display unit 11 are respectively connected to respond to or control these. The display unit 11 includes an LCD module connector 11a and a video signal jack 11b.
[0010]
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a printer and an electronic camera according to the present embodiment. The printer 200 receives the image data transmitted from the transmission / reception unit 101 of the electronic camera 100 by the IrDA communication interface unit 6 and drives the print head 3 controlled by the control unit 1 to print an image on the photographic paper P. It is supposed to be. The liquid crystal panel 9 displays the remaining amount of ink, the remaining amount of paper, and the like. Note that the control unit 1 of the printer 200 can read information from the memory card MC mounted on the memory card interface means, and can write information here.
[0011]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing control in the control unit 1 of the printer. In step S101 of FIG. 3, the control unit 1 determines whether the image data received from the electronic camera 100 corresponds to only one image. If there is only one image, the communication is terminated by receiving the image data. However, in step S102, the image is printed as it is, and the control operation of the control unit 1 is terminated.
[0012]
On the other hand, if the image data received from the electronic camera 100 corresponds to a plurality of images in step S101, it is expected that the communication time with the electronic camera 100 will be long. Therefore, the control unit 1 stores all the received image data in a memory card MC as a recording medium inserted in the memory card interface unit 4. At this point, the control unit 1 ends communication with the electronic camera 100.
[0013]
In subsequent step S104, the control unit 1 gradually reads out the image data from the memory card MC, and prints the image in step S105. In step S106, when all the images have been printed, the control operation of the control unit 1 is terminated.
[0014]
As described above, if the image data received from the electronic camera 100 is stored in the memory card MC at a time, the communication necessary for transferring the image data can be completed in a short time. Note that the image data stored in the memory card MC may be erased thereafter or stored for a certain period.
[0015]
In addition, the decoration data can be stored as additional image data in the memory card MC and can be combined with the image data. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a mode in which an image captured by the electronic camera is combined with a decorative frame corresponding to decorative data. First, the user images a person Ob as a subject with the electronic camera 100 (FIG. 2) and stores it as image data (FIG. 4 (a)). Next, the decoration data (FIG. 4B) stored in advance in the memory card MC is transferred to the nonvolatile memory 8 of the printer 200. The control unit 1 of the printer 200 can synthesize the image data received from the electronic camera 100 and the decoration data and perform printing (FIG. 4C). Note that the image data combined with the decoration data may be stored in the memory card MC.
[0016]
Further, since a large-capacity buffer is required for image composition, the memory card MC can be used as a temporary buffer. In such a case, it is preferable that a mode switch (not shown) of the printer 200 can be set to use or not to use the memory card MC as a buffer.
[0017]
In addition, the printer 100 reduces the size of the decoration data stored in the memory card MC or the decoration data stored in the nonvolatile memory 8 and compresses the decoration data to the electronic camera 100 via the IrDA communication interface unit 6. Transmission is possible. A plurality of sets of image data and decoration data having different capacities, such as for electronic camera display and printing, can be formed. Based on the decoration data, the electronic camera 100 can display a composite image of the captured image on the liquid crystal screen 102 provided. Note that the status of the printer 200 (for example, the remaining amount of ink and the remaining amount of paper) can be transmitted to the electronic camera 100 via the IrDA communication interface unit 6 and displayed on the liquid crystal screen 102. In addition, when the communication with the printer 200 is interrupted, the electronic camera 100 is turned off to prevent the built-in battery from being consumed.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 2, the electronic camera 100 can be supplied with power from the printer 200 by the AC adapter cord 103, and the printer 200 is connected via the cable 104 and the serial interface means 5 indicated by dotted lines. It is also possible to communicate with. The control unit 1 performs communication via the cable 104 without using IrDA communication means when the cable 104 is connected to both. This is because the communication using the cable 104 is more resistant to disturbance and stable. However, when priority is given to the communication speed, IrDA communication means may be used. Further, when the AC adapter sensor 7 detects that the electric power is being supplied to the electronic camera 100 via the AC adapter cord 103, the control unit 1 shifts to a communication mode in which the IrDA communication unit is operated. You may make it do.
[0019]
From the electronic camera 100, information unique to the electronic camera such as color characteristics can be transmitted to the printer 200 together with the image data. In such a case, the printer 200 can correct the image data based on the color characteristics and print an optimal image.
[0020]
FIG. 5 is a diagram according to another embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5A, the printer 200 is connected to the LCD device 300 via the LCD module connector 11a. When the control unit 1 of the printer 200 forms an image based on the image data transmitted from the electronic camera 100, the control unit 1 forms an image in which the chromaticity and lightness are changed little by little with respect to the original image. Are displayed on the LCD device 300 in a state of being arranged around the screen. This display image is shown in FIG. Note that the chromaticity and lightness of the image shown in FIG. 5B can be increased or decreased by using the switch 10 provided in the printer 200 that is tilted in eight directions. Therefore, the operator can select an optimal image while looking at the screen of the LCD device 300. The image displayed on the screen of the LCD device 300 can be printed from the printer 200 or stored in the memory card MC. Further, by connecting to a monitor (not shown) via the video signal jack 11b instead of the LCD device 300, the same effect can be obtained. It is also convenient to store the specified chromaticity and lightness in a memory medium or a printer built-in memory so that printing can be performed with the setting from the next time.
[0021]
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing still another embodiment according to the present invention. FIG. 6A shows the contents of the order file created in the electronic camera 100. On the other hand, FIG. 6B shows the contents of the shooting data attached to the image data obtained by the imaging by the electronic camera 100.
[0022]
The control unit 1 of the printer 200 reads the contents of the order file shown in FIG. 6A, and determines that the date is added to the lower right of the image if the date item is “present / lower right”. In the mode shown in FIG. 6C, the date DT is added and printed.
[0023]
The control unit 1 of the printer 200 can print an index image in which thumbnails are arranged based on thumbnail image data transmitted from the electronic camera 100. In this case, the number and order of thumbnails can be changed, and arbitrary codes such as date, file name, frame number, and title can be inserted into the image. Further, the control unit 1 of the printer 200 can print the trimmed image based on the trimmed image data transmitted from the electronic camera 100. The printer 200 can perform panoramic printing that is narrower than normal printing by using roll paper.
[0024]
The present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments. However, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified or improved as appropriate.
[0025]
【The invention's effect】
According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, when the image data received from the electronic camera corresponds to a plurality of images, all the image data is stored in the recording medium before the image formation. there is no need to form an image for each reception of the data, reduces the communication time with the electronic camera, and Ru are also shortened the time required for image formation.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a printer according to a first embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a printer and an electronic camera according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing control in the control unit 1 of the printer.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an aspect in which an image captured by an electronic camera is combined with a decorative frame corresponding to decorative data.
FIG. 5 is a diagram according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing still another embodiment according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control part 2 Paper feed part 3 Print head 4 Memory card interface means 5 Serial interface means 6 IrDA communication interface means 7 AC adapter sensor 8 Non-volatile memory 9 Liquid crystal panel 10 Various switches 11 Display part 100 Electronic camera 200 Printer 300 LCD apparatus

Claims (1)

A receiver for receiving image data from the electronic camera;
A storage medium that stores image data received by the receiving unit and is exchangeable from outside the device ;
A printing unit for printing image data stored in the storage medium;
The receiving unit determines whether the image data received from the electronic camera corresponds to one image, and if the image data corresponds to one image, the image data is printed If the image data corresponds to a plurality of images, the image data is stored in the storage medium and then stored in the storage medium. A control section for gradually reading and controlling the printing section to perform printing.
An image forming apparatus comprising:

Images