JP4045478B2 - Digital printing system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a digital print system for producing a photographic print based on digital frame image data acquired from a frame image of a photographic film.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In such a digital printing system, the photographed photographic film brought into the DP store by the customer is converted into digital data as frame image data by the film scanner from the developed photographic film after the order reception processing, By driving and controlling the optical print head based on the frame image data, the frame image is printed on a photographic photosensitive material such as photographic paper, and finally a high-quality photographic print similar to the conventional projection exposure method is produced. The
[0003]
Usually, in order to associate the received print order with the photographic film to be ordered and the photographic print as a finished product, a sticker on which the order number (an example of order identification information) issued at the time of order reception is printed is attached to the photographic film to be ordered. It is attached. In the projection exposure method that has been used for a long time, the received photographic film is sequentially put into the printing system, and the frame images contained in the photographic film are sequentially printed on the photographic paper, so the order number, that is, the photographic film is finished. There was not much confusion in collating with the photo prints.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
On the other hand, in the digital printing system, the frame image data acquired by the film scanner can be easily stored and managed in a data storage device such as a hard disk, so that the photographic print is finished regardless of the order of order. In practice, if the order number and the frame image data are not properly associated, there will be confusion in matching the photographic film with the finished photographic print. However, in order to associate the received print order with the photographic film to be ordered and the photographic print as a finished product, the sticker on which the order number (an example of order identification information) is printed is pasted on the photographic film to be ordered as usual. Because the final verification is done by relying on the order number visually confirmed by the operator when scanning the photographic film, if there is a time interval between the scanning process and the printing process, the verification may be troublesome. Problems arise.
In view of the above situation, the problem of the present invention is that the order identification information issued to a photographic film at the time of receiving an order is reliably related and managed even when a frame image included in the photographic film is printed. Is to provide a simple digital printing system.
[0005]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, in the digital printing system according to the present invention, an order identification information issuing unit that generates order identification information to be given to a photographic film to be ordered based on a photographic print order, and the order identification information from the photographic film. And a scanner unit for reading the frame image of the photographic film, the order identification information data acquired by the scanner unit, and the frame image data linked to the order identification information data from the scanner unit to produce a photographic print A print processing station, and the scanner unit further includes an infrared light scanner for reading scratches and dust on the photographic film and a visible light scanner for reading the frame image. Also reads identification information .
In this configuration, the order identification information is also read by the scanner unit that reads the frame image of the photographic film while adopting the method of adding the order identification information to the photographic film to be ordered, which has been conventionally performed at the time of accepting the print order. The frame image data is used for making a photographic print in the print processing station in a state linked to the order identification information data. Therefore, despite the fact that the procedure for photographic printing is not different from the conventional procedure, even if there is a large time interval between the scanning process and the printing process, or the pattern of making photographic prints in order is lost The photo prints are surely verified.
Further, the prior Symbol scanner unit includes a visible light scanner for reading an infrared scanner and the frame image read scratches and dust of the photographic film, the infrared light scanner also reads the order identification. In other words, when information such as an order number recorded on a sticker attached to a photographic film is adopted as order identification information, it is difficult to read this information with a visible light scanner that reads a normal frame image. By recording the order identification information with ink or the like that blocks outside light, the information can be read using an infrared light scanner. Since an infrared light scanner is provided for detecting film scratches and dust, it is advantageous in that it does not involve a cost burden due to an extra additional device.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments using the drawings.
[0006]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 schematically shows one embodiment of a digital printing system according to the present invention. Such a digital print system is generally called a minilab, and is installed in a relatively small DP shop. This digital printing system includes a check label issuing machine 5 as an order identification information issuing unit that issues a check label 3 in which order identification information for specifying a print order is recorded, and an undeveloped photographic film (hereinafter simply referred to as a film) 1. A film processing station 6 that digitizes a frame image included in the developed film 1 while performing development processing and acquires it as frame image data, and prints the frame image on the photographic paper 2 using the acquired frame image data The print processing station 7 for producing the photographic print 2 (here, the same number is assigned to the photographic paper and the photographic print), the developed film 2 and the corresponding photographic print 2 are collated into the DP bag 4 It is comprised from the collation station 8 to enter. The film processing station 6 includes a film developing unit 20 that develops the film 1, a scanner unit 30 that reads frame images and the like contained in the film 1, and a piece sheet obtained by cutting the film into a predetermined length as a negative sheet. The cut film inserter part 40 inserted in is included. The print processing station 7 includes a digital print unit 50 that prints frame images on the photographic paper 2, a photographic paper developing unit 60 that develops the printed photographic paper 2 to finish it into a photographic print 2, A controller 70 for processing data such as image data is included.
[0007]
When a customer who has finished photographing a camera brings photographed film 1 to a DP store, usually, simultaneous printing for ordering film development and photographic printing of a frame image included in the film is ordered. At the time of order reception, the customer's name, address, print size and the like are written in the DP bag 4, and the check label 3 issued by the check label issuing machine 5 is attached to the DP bag 4. This check label 3 is printed with an order number expressed as a number that is easily recognizable by humans as order identification information for specifying a print order, and a barcode that is easy to recognize mechanically where the order number is expressed. Yes. Further, a check label 3 having the same order number and bar code is attached to the leading end region (at least a portion where no frame image is formed) of the brought film 1.
[0008]
When the place where the print order is received and the place where the film processing station 6 or the print processing station 7 is installed, the film 1 is stored and transported in the DP bag 4, but if it is the same place, the DP bag 4 is immediately Passed to the verification station 8, the film 1 is fed to the film processing station 6.
[0009]
The film 1 fed to the film processing station 6 is automatically transported in a processing tank for development, bleaching, fixing, washing, etc., and dried in the film developing section 20, and the frame image is visualized. It becomes. Subsequently, in the scanner unit 30, the visualized frame image is read and acquired as frame image data, and the barcode of the check label 3 attached to the film 1 is read as will be described in detail later. The order number data (hereinafter simply referred to as order number) is acquired as order identification information data. The film 1 that has been read by the scanner unit 30 is sent to the film inserter unit 40, cut into a predetermined number of frames (for example, every 4 frames or 6 frames), and sequentially accommodated in a negative sheet as a piece negative 1, and a photographic print 2 is sent to the verification station 8 for verification.
[0010]
Frame image data corresponding to each frame image is transferred to the controller 70 of the print processing station 7 in a form linked to the order number. The controller 70 performs predetermined image processing on the transferred frame image data to finally create print data, and the print data 2 is used to expose the surface of the photographic paper 2. The corresponding order number is printed on the back side of. Thereafter, the photographic paper 3 developed in the photographic paper developing unit 60 is carried out as a finished photo print and sent to the collation station 8.
[0011]
The verification station 8 checks the order number of the check label affixed to one of the piece negatives 1 and the order number printed on the back side of the photo print 2, and if the verification is OK, the negative sheet and the photo print 2 are Then, it is stored in the DP bag 4 in which the order numbers of the check labels affixed at the time of order reception match.
[0012]
Next, the scanner unit 30 that reads the frame image included in the film 1 and the barcode of the check label 3 attached to the film 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The scanner unit 30 includes an illumination optical system 31, an imaging optical system 32, and a photoelectric conversion system 33 using a CCD sensor as main components. The illumination optical system 31 includes a halogen lamp 31a as a light source, a reflecting mirror 31b that reflects the light from the halogen lamp 31a into a substantially parallel light, an infrared cut filter 31c, and light emitted from the halogen lamp 31a in a desired color. A dimming filter 31d for adjusting the balance and a mirror tunnel 31e for making the color distribution and intensity distribution of light uniform are provided.
[0013]
The photoelectric conversion system 33 has two systems, a visible light detection system 33A that uses visible light and an infrared light detection system 33B that uses infrared light. The visible light detection system 33A includes a visible light sensor 33a. The infrared light detection system 33B includes an infrared light sensor 34a. That is, the scanner unit 30 includes a visible light scanner 30A including the illumination optical system 31, the imaging optical system 32, and the visible light detection system 33A, and a red light including the illumination optical system 31, the imaging optical system 32, and the infrared light detection system 33B. And an external light scanner 30B. The visible light scanner 30 </ b> A has a function of detecting the visible image from the frame images included in the film 1, whereas the infrared light detection system 33 </ b> B is used to detect scratches and dust attached to the film 1. In order to obtain the state as image information, it has a function of detecting the infrared image from the frame image and a function of detecting the barcode of the check label 3 attached to the film 1. For this reason, the barcode of the check label 3 is printed with ink having a component that blocks infrared light.
[0014]
For the above reason, the illumination light irradiated from the illumination optical system 31 needs to include at least infrared light in a wavelength range to be detected by the infrared light sensor 34a. The filter 31c has a low transmittance in the infrared wavelength range of about 780 nm to about 1100 nm in principle, but here, in the wavelength range of about 820 nm to about 890 nm, which is the detection target of the infrared light detection system 33B. The transmittance is set slightly higher. The dimming filter 31d adjusts the color balance by giving the transmittance a predetermined wavelength dependency in the visible light region shorter than about 780 nm, and in principle in the infrared range of about 790 nm to about 1000 nm. Although the transmittance is lowered, the transmittance is set slightly higher in the wavelength range of about 820 nm to about 890 nm, which is the detection target of the infrared light detection system 33B. Therefore, the wavelength characteristic of the light transmittance combining the infrared cut filter 31c and the dimming filter 31d allows transmission of infrared rays in the set wavelength range in order to enable image detection by the infrared light sensor 34a. It is set to cut infrared rays outside the set wavelength range. Such a wavelength characteristic may be achieved by combining both filters 31c and 31d. If the transmittance of infrared rays in the wavelength range cut by the infrared cut filter 31c can be further reduced, the dimming filter 31d It is not always necessary to reduce the infrared transmittance.
[0015]
The imaging optical system 32 includes a zoom lens unit 32a, a mirror 32b that bends the traveling direction of the light beam, and an infrared cut filter 32c. The mirror 32b is configured by a so-called cold mirror, and the visible light is reflected by the reflection surface of the mirror 32b, the path of the light beam is bent by 90 degrees, and is irradiated toward the visible light sensor 33a, while the infrared light is Most of the light passes straight through the mirror 32b and travels straight, and is irradiated on the infrared light sensor 34b. The infrared cut filter 32c is for surely removing some infrared light reflected by the mirror 32b. Unlike the infrared cut filter 31c of the illumination optical system 31, the infrared cut filter 32c has a wavelength of about 820 nm to about 890 nm. Even in the infrared wavelength range, the transmittance is sufficiently lowered to prevent infrared light from entering the visible light sensor 33a.
[0016]
The visible light sensor 33a photoelectrically converts visible light out of the light beam guided by the imaging optical system 32, and is provided corresponding to each color of red (R), green (G), and blue (B). The CCD line sensors are integrated on one chip, and each CCD line sensor is provided with a large number (for example, 5000) of light receiving elements arranged in the main scanning direction, that is, the width direction of the film 1. R, G, and B color filters are formed on the light receiving surface of the light receiving element. The detection signal of the visible light sensor 33a is subjected to processing such as amplification and A / D conversion by the visible light signal processing circuit 33b, output to the scanner controller 35, and transferred to the controller 70 via the communication control unit 35a. .
[0017]
The infrared light sensor 34a has the same configuration as the visible light sensor 33a, but the visible light sensor 33a includes three CCD line sensors corresponding to R, G, and B, respectively. Only a CCD line sensor for infrared light is provided. The detection signal of the infrared light sensor 34a is also subjected to processing such as amplification and A / D conversion by the infrared light signal processing circuit 34b, and is output to the scan controller 35. The controller 70 is connected via the communication control unit 35a. Forwarded to
[0018]
When the film 1 is conveyed to the scanner unit 30, first, the barcode of the check label 3 attached to the film 1 is read by the infrared light scanner 30 </ b> B, and the read data is transferred to the controller 70. Thereafter, when the frame image of the film 1 is positioned at a predetermined scan position, the frame image reading process is started. The projected light images of the frame images are sequentially read by the visible light scanner 30A and the infrared light scanner 30B in a form divided into a plurality of slit images by the feeding operation in the sub-scanning direction of the film 1 by the film transport mechanism. It is transferred to the controller 70 as image data.
[0019]
Next, the print processing station 7 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
The print unit 50 includes a paper magazine 51 that stores roll-shaped photographic paper 2, a paper cutter 52 that cuts the photographic paper 2 drawn from the paper magazine 51 according to the print size, and the cut photographic paper 2. And a digital optical print head 54 that prints a frame image on the surface of the photographic paper 2 based on the print data generated by the exposure area controller 70. The paper developing unit 60 develops the exposed photographic paper 2, a development processing tank 61, a lateral feed conveyor 62 that receives the photographic paper 2 discharged from the development processing tank 61, that is, a photographic print 2, and is fed from the conveyor 62. And a sorter 63 for sorting the photographic prints 2 by order. A photographic paper transport mechanism 64 that transports the photographic paper 2 from the print unit 50 to the developing unit 60 is also provided.
[0020]
The controller 70 is configured by using a microcomputer system including a CPU, ROM, RAM, I / O interface circuit, etc. as a core member. Here, only functional elements related to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The communication control unit 71 as an input unit for data transferred from the communication control unit 35a of the scanner controller 35, the order identification information recognition unit 72 for recognizing the order number from the transferred barcode data, and the visible light transferred A corrected image processing unit 73 that corrects image smudges caused by film scratches, dust, etc. from the frame image data by infrared light and the frame image data by infrared light, and a beautiful finish such as level correction and color correction for the corrected frame image data. Image processing unit 74 that performs various image processing to perform image processing, based on the image-processed frame image data A print control unit 75 that generates print data and controls the print head 54, and a back print that controls the back print printer 53 so that the order number recognized by the order identification information recognition unit 72 is printed on the back surface of the photographic paper 2. A control unit 76, a video control unit 77 that captures an image of frame image data and other display item images in a video memory as necessary, converts the display image into a video signal by a video controller, and sends the video signal to the monitor 55, and the like. It is done.
[0021]
In this controller 70, the frame image data is always linked with the order number recognized by the order identification information recognition unit 72. For example, even when the frame image data is temporarily stored in a hard disk or the like, the frame image data The order number is maintained in a linked form.
[0022]
The procedure for correcting the frame image data by the corrected image processing unit 73 is performed as follows. First, each frame image of the film 1 is read. At that time, the original frame image photographed on the film 1 is read by the visible light scanner 30A, and the film 1 is photographed by the infrared light scanner 30B. A scratch or dust image attached to the film 1 is read instead of the original frame image. The infrared light scanner 30B can read such an image because the infrared light incident on the film 1 is not affected by the photographed image itself recorded on the film 1, but the film 1 This is because if there are scratches or dust, they are scattered and the amount of transmitted light decreases, and the presence of scratches or dust can be acquired as image data.
[0023]
When the image data acquired by the visible light scanner 30A and the infrared light scanner 30B is transferred to the controller 70 and input to the corrected image processing unit 73, the two image data are compared, and the infrared light scanner 30B. Since the portion projected in the image data is a scratch or dust, the region of the frame image data by the visible light scanner 30A corresponding to the portion is complemented with the data of the peripheral region. Since the technology itself for correcting the stain on the image with such scratches and dust is well known, further explanation is omitted here.
[0024]
Further, the corrected image processing unit 73 can be provided in the scanner controller 35 of the scanner unit 30. In this case, since the frame image data transferred from the scanner controller 35 has been corrected, the corrected image processing unit 73 of the controller 70 is unnecessary. Similarly, the order identification information recognition unit 72 can also be provided in the scanner controller 35. In this case, in the transfer of the frame image data from the scanner controller 35 to the controller 70, the frame image data is transferred in a format linked to the order number recognized by the order identification information recognition unit.
[0025]
In the above embodiment, the infrared light scanner 30B is also used as a scanner for reading the barcode of the check label 3, but as shown in FIG. 5, the order number of the reflected light method well known as a barcode scanner is used. A scanner 90 can also be used. Furthermore, as order identification information used for mechanical reading, not only bar codes but also various methods used in the field of ID reading technology can be adopted.
[0026]
Further, in the description of the above embodiment, a printing method in which an image is printed on a photosensitive material such as photographic paper is adopted as a printing method in the print processing station 7. In this case, the photographic paper 5 is conveyed as the optical print head 54. In addition to the type that scans by sending a laser beam in a direction orthogonal to the direction, it is possible to adopt a fluorescent beam method, a liquid crystal shutter method, a DMD method, FOCRT, or the like. An ink jet printing method in which ink is sprayed on paper or a film, or a thermal transfer or sublimation ink printing method may be employed. As a backprint printer, a dot impact type printer is advantageous in consideration of development processing in a later step.
[0027]
Although the present invention relates to a digital printing system, the digital printing system should be understood by a very broad concept, and a projection exposure type printing system incorporating a digital control device or digital control may be considered as a category. In particular, such an analog printing system, that is, the order identification information on a check label is read by a barcode reader or the like, and the order identification information and the print are linked at the time of analog printing to place the order identification information on the back side of the print. The present invention also includes a technique for back-printing and realizing automation that was not possible with a conventional analog printing system.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a digital printing system according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing details of a scanner unit. FIG. 3 is a block unit showing details of a printing unit. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a digital printing system according to another embodiment.
1 Photo film 2 Photo paper (Photo print)
3 Check label 4 DP bag 5 Check label issuing machine (order identification information issuing part)
6 Film processing station 7 Print processing station 8 Verification station 30 Scanner unit 30A Visible light scanner 30B Infrared light scanner (order number reading scanner)
90 order number reading scanner

Claims (1)

An order identification information issuing unit that generates order identification information to be given to a photographic film to be ordered based on a photographic print order, a scanner unit that reads the order identification information and a frame image of the photographic film from the photographic film, and the scanner Ri Do and a printing processing station to produce a photographic print frame image data linked with the acquired order identification data and the order identification data in parts receiving from the scanner unit, the scanner unit said photographic film A digital printing system comprising an infrared light scanner for reading scratches and dust and a visible light scanner for reading the frame image, and the infrared light scanner also reads the order identification information .

Images