JP4324861B2 - Photo processing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention includes an image reading unit that reads an image recorded on an image recording medium to obtain image data, an image processing unit that performs a required image process on the image data read by the image reading unit, and the image processing unit. A printer that prints out image data that has undergone image processing as a photographic print, and a data storage device that stores as an image file together with identification information that uniquely identifies a plurality of image data that has undergone image processing by the image processing means; The present invention relates to a photo processing apparatus comprising a removable media driver for writing an image file stored in the data storage device.

  When printing photographic images recorded on film and saving them as image files in a storage medium, photographic images that can be efficiently output and provided to customers at low cost with image files that give the desired finish during printing In order to provide an output device, a reading unit that reads a plurality of images recorded on an image recording medium to obtain a plurality of image data, and an image processing unit that respectively performs image processing on the plurality of image data A data storage device that stores the plurality of image data subjected to the image processing in association with identification information for identifying the image data, and the plurality of image data subjected to the image processing There has been proposed a photo processing apparatus including a printer that prints out as a print.

When the photo processing apparatus is provided with a drive unit corresponding to a removable medium, the photo image file is written on the medium attached to the drive unit and then delivered to the customer.
JP 2003-92729 A

  However, when the above-described photo processing apparatus is installed in a photo lab shop, the operator must not only operate the apparatus but also handle the customer at the same time, so that the photo image file is written to the above-mentioned removable media. It is impossible to wait in front of the device while processing is in progress, and it is necessary to perform customer's response and other operations at the same time while paying attention to the end of the writing process. There was a problem that the business could not be carried out efficiently.

  In view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, the present invention makes it easy for an operator to make a decision for allocating a plurality of tasks such as operation of a photo processing apparatus, customer response, output print arrangement, etc. The object is to provide a photographic processing apparatus which can be carried out.

In order to achieve the above object, a first characteristic configuration of a photographic processing apparatus according to the present invention is that an image recorded on an image recording medium is read by reading an image recorded on an image recording medium as described in claim 1 of the document of the claims. Image reading means for obtaining data, image processing means for performing required image processing on the image data read by the image reading means, and image data subjected to image processing by the image processing means are printed out as a photographic print A printer, a data storage device for storing a plurality of pieces of image data subjected to image processing by the image processing means together with identification information for uniquely identifying the image file, and a removable medium for writing the image file stored in the data storage device a photographic processing device including a driver, the removable Media to correspond to a plurality of types of media A plurality of address drivers are provided, each having a writing time table in which a capacity of an image file and a writing time to the medium with respect to the capacity are recorded for each media type, and corresponding to the media mounted on the removable media driver A writing time display means for calculating an estimated writing time based on the data recorded in the writing time table and the capacity of the writing target image file and displaying the estimated writing time derived is provided. It is in.

  Since the writing time display means displays the writing time of the image file on the medium, the operator who visually confirms the display can predict the end time of the writing process. As a result, if the writing process takes a long time, other operations such as customer response can be performed efficiently until the end time of the writing process. If the writing process time is short, the writing process This makes it possible to efficiently manage the work process, such as waiting in front of the apparatus until the end time.

  Also, the capacity of the image file to be written can be obtained by, for example, the size of one image and the number of images (number of frames). Based on the capacity of the image file recorded in the writing time table and the writing time to the medium relative to the capacity, the estimated writing time is extremely calculated by proportionally calculating the file capacity of the obtained writing target image file. It is easily determined.

  A plurality of types of removable media such as CD-R, DVD, FD, and CF card are actually used, and it is necessary to provide a media driver corresponding to the media in the photo processing apparatus. Accordingly, by providing a writing time table in which the capacity of the image file and the writing time to the medium corresponding to the capacity are recorded for each media type, the writing time of the image file can be displayed regardless of the type of the media. Will be able to.

In addition to the first feature configuration described above, the second feature configuration includes sampling means for sampling the writing time of the image file to the medium, and the writing time table as described in claim 2 Is generated based on the sampling time by the sampling means.

  It is also possible to prepare a writing time table in advance according to the removable media driver to be used, but in that case, it is necessary to have table data for each removable media driver, for example, a removable media driver If the supply source is different, it is necessary to rewrite the table data accordingly if the supply source specification is different, and the management becomes extremely complicated. Therefore, by generating the writing time table based on the sampling time by the sampling means, the need for table management is eliminated, and it becomes possible to respond flexibly.

In the third feature configuration, as described in claim 3, in addition to the second feature configuration described above, the writing time table is generated based on an average value of past sampling times by the sampling means. It is in that it is a thing.

  By generating a writing time table based on an average value of past sampling times, errors are absorbed and a more accurate estimated writing time can be obtained.

  In the fourth feature configuration, in addition to the second or third feature configuration described above, the writing time display means is configured to sample the estimated writing time from the estimated writing time by the sampling means. The write processing time is subtracted to derive the remaining write time, and the derived write remaining time is displayed.

  As described above, according to the present invention, an operator can easily make a judgment for allocating a plurality of tasks such as operation of a photo processing apparatus, customer response, output print arrangement, etc. It has become possible to provide a photographic processing apparatus that can be carried out.

  Embodiments of a photographic processing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below. As shown in FIG. 1, the photographic image processing apparatus includes an image reading unit 1 that photoelectrically converts a photographed image formed on a color silver halide photographic film and stores a photographic image as a digital image in a memory, and an image reading unit 1. The image processing means 2 that performs predetermined image processing on the color photographic image input from the image processing unit to generate an output image, and a printer that prints out the image data subjected to the image processing as a photographic print. The image exposure unit 3 includes an exposure head 34 that exposes photographic paper based on an output image from the line buffer 23 serving as an image output unit, the development processing unit 4 that develops the exposed photographic paper, and the development It comprises a paper discharge unit 5 that cuts and discharges processed photographic paper in frame units, and a system control unit 7 that integrates and controls the entire functional blocks described above. That.

  The image reading unit 1 includes, for example, a film transport unit 11 that intermittently transports each frame of a developed 135 color negative film 10 to a reading position, and an image reading unit 12 that reads an image of each frame of the film 10. The film transport unit 11 includes a winding roller 111, a film transport motor 112 that rotationally drives the wind roller 111, and a film transport control unit 113 that controls the film transport motor 112, and the image reading unit Reference numeral 12 denotes a light source 114 disposed below the film 10, a light source control unit 115 that controls the light emission intensity of the light source 114, an image sensor 116 having a two-dimensional CCD, and image reading control by the image sensor 116. A reading control unit 117; a lens 117 that forms each frame image of the film 10 on the light receiving surface of the image sensor 116; 10 and the lens 117, and an optical filter 118 that separates the image of the film 10 into three colors of GRB, a filter drive motor 119 that switches and drives the optical filter 118, and a filter switching control that controls the drive of the filter drive motor 119 Unit 120 and an image data storage unit 121 that stores an image signal read by the image sensor 116 as digital data. The image data storage unit 121 includes an A / D converter 122 that converts RGB analog image signals read by the image sensor 116 into RGB digital image data at a 16-bit gradation level, and an A / D converter. And an image buffer memory 123 composed of a RAM or the like that stores the digital image data of three colors RGB converted by 122 in frame units.

  The image processing means 2 performs processing for reducing noise, distortion, etc. with reference to the correction table data 20 as necessary for the frame-by-frame photographic image stored in the image buffer memory 123, and gradation characteristics. The image processing unit 21 that executes a series of image processing such as correction processing, color balance adjustment processing, and enlargement / reduction processing, and the processed image data are stored in a region divided for each RGB color as final image data in frame units. The final image data of each frame stored in the image processing memory 22 is sequentially stored as an image file in the hard disk 6 as a data storage device together with identification information that can be uniquely identified, After all the images to be printed ordered by the customer are stored in the hard disk 6, they are output in order from the image processing memory 22 and are printed in one line. Is output to the exposure control unit 36 via a line buffer memory 23 for each.

  The image exposure unit 3 includes a photographic paper conveyance control unit 38 that conveys the long photographic paper 31 wound around the roll cassette 30 toward the exposure station 33 by a conveyance motor 37 at a predetermined conveyance speed. From the photographic paper transport unit 32, the PLZT type exposure head 34 that performs exposure scanning on the photographic paper 31 transported to the exposure station 33, the exposure head control unit 35 that drives and controls the exposure head 34, and the line buffer memory 23 And an exposure control unit 36 that outputs the image data to the exposure head control unit 35 at a predetermined timing synchronized with the conveyance speed of the photographic paper 31. The exposure head 34 is not limited to the one that adopts the PLZT method, and may employ a laser optical system that performs scanning exposure in units of pixels.

  The development processing unit 4 transports the processing tank 40 filled with a development processing solution such as a developing solution and the exposed roll photographic paper 31 into the processing tank 40, and performs development, bleaching, and fixing processes. The paper discharge unit 5 includes a transport control unit that transports the roll photographic paper 31 to the paper discharge unit 5. The paper discharge unit 5 cuts the roll photographic paper 31 developed by the development processing unit 4 in the width direction. The cutter 50 is divided into frame units, drive control for the cutter motor 51 that drives the cutter 50, and a paper discharge control unit 52 that controls discharge of the cut photographic paper 31 to the outside of the apparatus.

  The system control unit 7 includes a control CPU, a ROM storing a control program, a RAM for data processing, and a control signal input / output circuit for each functional block, and each function based on the control program The block is integrated and controlled. Further, the system control unit 7 is connected to an input device for setting and inputting a processing procedure by a photographic processing device and a console 8 comprising a monitor device, and media information (film type etc.) for holding an original photographic image and the output The print channel as the print information including the size information of the photographic paper to be printed based on the image and the image editing process is set and inputted, and the system control unit 7 sets each function based on the information set in the selected print channel. Control the block.

  The print channel is a channel set by the print information setting unit 8a provided in the console 8 and set in advance according to the print to be created, such as the input medium, print type, and photographic paper size. A predetermined number of channels can be individually set in order from the channel 0 via the. For each channel, input media information, print type information such as normal print (simultaneous print), album print or edit print, if it is an edit print, its type information (eg postcard, ID photo, business card, etc.), print Paper width, surface quality information, print size information, image automatic correction mode setting information, and the like are set as print information.

  The operator designates an appropriate print channel based on the order information indicated by the customer, and attaches a negative mask corresponding to the set input media information to the image reading means 1 so that an image from the target film can be obtained. Input becomes possible. When inputting a photographic image, first, an image for one film is read and stored in the image buffer memory 123 by a pre-scan operation for reading at a low resolution and at a high speed, and a film certification process is performed.

  The film test is a process in which an image read by pre-scan is displayed on the console 8 and necessary image processing conditions are set for each frame image by the operator's visual judgment. Correction data necessary for color balance adjustment and density adjustment is set for each frame image on the basis of one image data and stored in the correction data memory 24 provided in the image processing means 2 in the manual correction mode. If there is, correction data such as color balance and density for each frame image is generated by the operation of the operator via the console 8 and stored in the correction data memory 24. Further, by visually observing the frame image displayed on the monitor device of the console 8, for example, if it is 135 film, it is determined whether it is a full size or a panorama size, and a print channel is set for each frame image. It is set to print out to an appropriate print size.

  When the film test is completed, a main scan operation for reading a photographed image from the target film at a high resolution is executed. In the main scanning operation, required image processing including correction processing based on correction data stored in the correction data memory 24 by the image processing unit 2 for the photographic image read several frames at a time and stored in the image buffer memory 123. Is executed and image data to be finally output is generated and sequentially stored as an image file on the hard disk 6 together with identification information for uniquely identifying the image data for each frame image.

  In the image exposure unit 3, an appropriate photographic paper 31 is selected based on the print size set in the designated print channel (usually containing a plurality of sizes of photographic paper) and conveyed to the exposure station 33. Then, exposure processing corresponding to the output image is performed by the exposure head 34. In the paper discharge unit 5, the developed roll photographic paper 31 is cut into frames by the cutter 50 based on the same print size.

  Further, the above-described photo processing apparatus is provided with a media driver 8b for writing the image file stored in the hard disk 6 to a removable medium requested by the customer.

  More specifically, the system control unit 7 adds the identification information including customer identification data and frame number to the final image data read and image-processed by the main scanning operation, and sequentially writes the information to the hard disk 6. Instruct the image processing means 2 as follows. If the setting is made on the input screen for setting whether or not to write the output image to the media requested by the customer at the time of the film test, the final image data is written to the hard disk 6 and then the image is read from the image processing memory 22. The processed data are sequentially read out and output to the printer, and the write processing means 70 is activated and downloaded to the medium as shown in FIG.

  Write time display means 71 for displaying on the monitor device the write time of the image file to the medium mounted on the media driver 8b, and the capacity of the image file and the write time to the medium relative to the capacity are recorded. The writing time display means 71 calculates and derives an estimated writing time based on the data recorded in the writing time table 72 and the capacity of the writing target image file, The derived estimated writing time is displayed. Sampling means 73 for sampling the writing time of the image file to the medium is further provided, and the writing time table 72 is configured to be generated based on the sampling time by the sampling means 73.

  Hereinafter, the operation will be described based on the flowcharts shown in FIGS. When the writing of the image data to the hard disk 6 is completed, a start switch for writing to the medium is displayed, and when the start switch is clicked, the writing process starts (S1). The writing time display means 71 obtains the number of image files to be written and the capacity of each image file from the writing processing means 70 (S2), and the table corresponding to the medium from the writing time table 72. Referring to the average writing time data of the predetermined capacity data stored in the data (S3), the average writing time is multiplied by the value obtained by dividing the total capacity of the image file to be written by the capacity of the table data. Thus, the estimated writing time is calculated and derived (S4), and the estimated writing time is displayed on the monitor device as the writing processing time (S5). During execution of the writing process (S6), the writing process time is counted by the sampling means 73 (S7), and the remaining time is derived by subtracting the time counted from the estimated writing time (S8). The remaining writing time is displayed as the writing processing time (S5). When the writing process is completed in step S6, a message to that effect is displayed on the monitor device to prompt ejection of the medium.

  On the other hand, in parallel with the time display by the writing time display means 71 described above, the sampling means 73 measures the writing time and updates the value of the writing time table 72 based on the value. As shown in FIG. 4, when the writing process starts (S11), the number of image files to be written and the capacity of each image file are acquired (S12), and the writing time is set until the writing process is completed. When the time is measured (S13, S14) and the time measurement is completed (S15), the predetermined capacity is determined from the past average write time of the predetermined capacity stored in the write time table and the current write time for the write capacity. The average writing time is calculated (S16), and the writing time table is updated using the value as new table data (S17). That is, the writing time table is generated based on an average value of past sampling times by the sampling means.

  Here, when the image file is written to the media for the first time, the writing process time is not displayed because no data is stored in the writing time table. However, once the writing process is executed, the writing process is performed thereafter. The time is displayed, and the accuracy of the displayed writing processing time is increased by repeating this process. Needless to say, the above-described procedure of the writing processing time display processing and the writing time table updating processing is merely an example, and can be changed and designed as appropriate.

  Although the type of media is not specified in the above-described embodiment, various types of removable media such as CD-R, DVD, FD, and CF card are used, and the photo processing apparatus supports a plurality of types of media. Multiple removable media drivers are provided, and the writing time table is configured to record the size of the image file for each media type and the writing time to the media for that size, thereby supporting multiple media Thus, it is possible to display the writing processing time appropriately.

  In the above-described embodiment, the image reading unit 1 has been described that photoelectrically converts a photographed image formed on a color silver halide photographic film and stores a photographic image as a digital image in a memory. The image reading means 1 is not limited to such a configuration, but reads an image file stored in a removable medium owned by a customer via the above-described removable media driver and stores it in the image buffer memory 123. What is comprised is also included.

Block diagram of photo processing equipment Block diagram of the main parts of the photo processing device flowchart flowchart

6: Hard disk 7: System controller 8b: Removable media driver 70: Write processing means 71: Write time display means 72: Write time table 73: Sampling means

Claims (4)

Image reading means for obtaining image data by reading an image recorded on an image recording medium, image processing means for performing required image processing on the image data read by the image reading means, and image processing by the image processing means A printer that prints out image data subjected to image processing as a photographic print, a data storage device that stores the image data together with identification information that uniquely identifies a plurality of image data subjected to image processing by the image processing means, and A photo processing device comprising a removable media driver for writing image files stored in a data storage device,
A plurality of the removable media drivers are provided corresponding to a plurality of types of media, each having a writing time table in which a capacity of an image file and a writing time to the medium with respect to the capacity are recorded for each media type,
Based on the data recorded in the write time table corresponding to the media mounted on the removable media driver and the capacity of the image file to be written, the estimated write time is calculated and derived. A photographic processing apparatus provided with writing time display means for displaying. Comprising a sampling means for sampling the writing time of the image files to the media, said write time table photographic processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein and is generated based on the sampling time by the sampling means. 3. The photo processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the writing time table is generated based on an average value of past sampling times by the sampling means.   4. The write time display means derives a write remaining time by subtracting the write processing time sampled by the sampling means from the estimated write time, and displays the derived write remaining time. Photo processing equipment.

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