JP4559157B2 - Photo printing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a photo print apparatus for outputting each page sheet constituting a photo album booklet.

When creating a photo album booklet in a photo printing apparatus, additional images such as page numbers and logos may be added to headers and footers. Conventionally, on the print image editing screen, an operator manually arranges images and character strings at arbitrary positions.
As a technique for creating a photo album booklet, for example, there is a technique for managing the page order in a photo printing apparatus that uses a plurality of sheets for generating a plurality of pages (for example, see Patent Document 1). In this apparatus, the number of images arranged on each page of a photo album booklet to be bound is determined in advance. This apparatus performs a layout process for determining a layout for binding a photographed image so as to be viewable in a predetermined order.

JP 2003- 211774 A

  However, the device of Patent Document 1 cannot automatically assign an arbitrary image or character string to an arbitrary page. For this reason, in the apparatus of Patent Document 1, when an additional image or the like is synthesized on a predetermined page, for example, either an even page or an odd page, the operator manually adds an additional image to each page. There is a problem that the layout of the additional image is shifted depending on the page, and the amount of work for the operator is increased, which takes time to create the photo album booklet.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a photo printing apparatus that can automatically assign an additional image to an arbitrary page and easily create a photo album booklet.

In order to achieve this object, the photo print device according to the present invention is characterized in that a photo print device for outputting each page sheet constituting a photo album booklet is a template for storing a basic template for the page sheet. A storage unit and an additional image frame for assigning an image that can be commonly arranged in the plurality of page sheets to the basic template read from the template storage unit are set, and the set addition A template creation unit that creates a use template by linking attribute information that defines editing specifications in page units to an image frame, and the captured image frame using the use template given from the template creation unit Assign shot images sequentially and add additional images to the additional image frames. A print image generation unit that generates a print image of a multi-page sheet by assigning while editing based on sex information, a print data conversion unit that converts the print image into print data, and the print data based on the print data And a print output unit that outputs the page sheet by sequentially forming print images on a recording medium.
That is, according to the above-described feature configuration, the attribute information that defines the editing specification in page units is linked to the additional image frame, so that an arbitrary additional image can be automatically assigned to an arbitrary page. For example, different additional images can be arranged at different positions on the left and right pages of the spread, or a logo can be attached to only one page of the spread. As a result, the operator's work for producing the photo album booklet can be reduced, and the photo album booklet can be easily produced in a short period of time. Furthermore, since the additional image is automatically assigned, the position of the assigned additional image does not shift from page to page.

Another feature of the photographic printing apparatus according to the present invention for achieving this object is that the attribute information specifies the layout of the additional image frame and / or the necessity of the additional image frame in page units. It is characterized in that information to be included is included.
If the configuration includes the layout information of the additional image frame as in this feature configuration, it is possible to reliably prevent the position of the allocated additional image from shifting from page to page. In addition, if the configuration is such that necessity is set for an arbitrary page as in this feature configuration, an arbitrary additional image can be assigned to an arbitrary page with a simple operation. This is useful for printing images and images.

  Furthermore, the additional image may be a bitmapped character, and a character can be set as an additional image in addition to a picture or a figure, so that the extensibility of the template design can be ensured.

In order to achieve this object, another feature of the photo printing apparatus according to the present invention is that, in the photo printing apparatus for outputting each page sheet constituting the photo album booklet, all of the photo album book attached to the photo album booklet An editing screen configured to arrange and edit an additional image frame for assigning images that can be arranged in common in a plurality of the page sheets on a template for the same page sheet. Linking attribute information defining editing specifications in page units to the additional image frame set in the above, and sequentially assigning the captured images to the captured image frame set for the template to which the attribute information is linked, and Print images of multiple page sheets sequentially by assigning additional images to additional image frames based on attribute information A print image generation unit for generating, a print data conversion unit for converting the print image into print data, and a print output unit for outputting the page sheet by sequentially forming the print image on a recording medium based on the print data It is characterized by comprising.

In other words, according to the above feature configuration, additional images added to a plurality of types of page sheets such as left and right pages and cover pages can be arranged and edited in common on the same template (editing screen). Unlike the case of using a plurality of templates for each type, it is not necessary to switch display of the templates, and the editing work is facilitated.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments using the drawings.

Embodiments of a photographic printing apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an external view of a photographic printing apparatus according to the present invention. This photographic printing apparatus includes a printing station 1B as a photographic printer that performs exposure processing and development processing on photographic paper P, and a developed photographic film. 2A, an operation station 1A that processes a captured image taken from an image input medium such as a digital camera memory card 2b and generates / transfers print data used in the print station 1B.

  This photo printing apparatus is also called a digital minilab. As can be understood from FIG. 2, the printing station 1B pulls out the roll-shaped printing paper P stored in the two printing paper magazines 11 and prints it with the sheet cutter 12. The back print unit 13 prints print processing information such as color correction information and frame number on the back side of the photographic paper P, and the print exposure unit 14 cuts the print paper P into the size. The photographed image is exposed on the surface (photosensitive surface) of the photographic paper P, and the exposed photographic paper P is sent to a processing tank unit 15 having a plurality of development processing tanks for development processing. After drying, the photographic paper P, that is, the photographic prints P, sent to the sorter 17 from the transverse feed conveyor 16 at the upper part of the apparatus is collected in a plurality of trays of the sorter 17 in a state of being sorted in order units (see FIG. 1). ).

  A photographic paper transport mechanism 18 is laid to transport the photographic paper P at a transport speed in accordance with various processes for the photographic paper P described above. The photographic paper transport mechanism 18 is composed of a plurality of nipping and transporting roller pairs including a chucker type photographic paper transport unit 18a disposed before and after the print exposure unit 14 in the photographic paper transport direction.

  The print exposure unit 14 applies R (red), G (green), and B (blue) to the printing paper P conveyed in the sub-scanning direction based on print data from the operation station 1A along the main scanning direction. A line exposure head for irradiating laser beams of the three primary colors (1) is provided. The processing tank unit 15 includes a color developing tank 15a for storing a color developing processing liquid, a bleach-fixing tank 15b for storing a bleach-fixing processing liquid, and a stabilizing tank 15c for storing a stable processing liquid.

  At the upper position of the desk-like console of the operation station 1A, there is disposed a film scanner 20 capable of acquiring a photographed image from a photographed image frame of the photographic film 2a with a resolution exceeding 2000 dpi, and is attached to a digital camera or the like. A media reader 21 that acquires captured images from various semiconductor memories, CD-Rs, and the like used as the captured image recording medium 2b is incorporated in a general-purpose personal computer that functions as the controller 3 of the photographic printing apparatus. The general-purpose personal computer is also connected with a monitor 23 for displaying various information, and a keyboard 24 and a mouse 25 as operation input devices used as operation input units used for various settings and adjustments.

  The controller 3 of this photographic printing apparatus has a functional unit for performing various operations of the photographic printing apparatus using hardware and / or software, with the CPU as a core member, as shown in FIG. The function unit particularly related to the present invention includes an image input unit 31 that takes a photographed image read by the film scanner 20 or the media reader 21 and performs pre-processing necessary for the next processing, various windows, and various types. Creation of a graphic operation screen including operation buttons and the like and construction of a graphic user interface (hereinafter abbreviated as GUI) for generating a control command from a user operation input (via the keyboard 24, mouse 25, etc.) through such a graphic operation screen GUI unit 33 and control frames sent from GUI unit 33 A print management unit 32 that performs image processing on the captured image transferred from the image input unit 31 to the memory 30 in order to generate desired print data based on an operation command input directly from the keyboard 24 or the like; A video control unit 35 that generates a video signal for causing the monitor 23 to display graphic data sent from the GUI unit 33, or a simulated image as a print source image, an expected finished print image, or the like during pre-judge printing work such as correction. A print data generation unit 36 that generates print data suitable for the print exposure unit 14 installed in the print station 1B based on the processed captured image that has been subjected to image processing, and a raw capture according to the customer's request Write images and processed shots that have been processed to CD-R Etc. formatter 37 for formatting the like to form for.

  When the photographic image recording medium is the film 2a, the image input unit 31 separately sends the scan data for the pre-scan mode and the main scan mode to the memory 30, and performs preprocessing according to each purpose. When the captured image recording medium is the memory card 2b, when the captured image includes thumbnails (low resolution data), the captured image main data (high data) is used for the purpose of displaying a list on the monitor 23. The thumbnail image is sent to the memory 30 separately from the resolution data. If a thumbnail is not included, a reduced image is created from this data and sent to the memory 30 as a thumbnail.

  The print management unit 32 includes a print order processing unit 60 that manages the print size, the number of prints, and the like, an image processing unit 70 that performs various types of image processing on the photographed image developed in the memory 30, and each page constituting the photo album booklet An album creating means 80 for outputting a sheet and means for realizing a photo retouch function such as density correction and resolution conversion are included. The album creating means 80 is implemented in the print management unit 32 as a program.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the album creating unit 80 includes a template storage unit 81 that stores a basic template for a page sheet, and a captured image frame and an additional image frame for the basic template read from the template storage unit 81. And a template creation unit 82 that creates a use template by linking attribute information that defines editing specifications in page units to the set additional image frame, and a use given from the template creation unit 82 A print image generation unit that generates a print image of a plurality of page sheets by sequentially assigning a shot image to the shot image frame using a template and assigning the additional image to the additional image frame while editing based on the attribute information. 83 and a print data for converting a print image into print data. A data conversion section 84, and a print output unit 85 for outputting the page sheet by sequentially forming on a recording medium the print image based on the print data. The album creating means 80 of this embodiment further includes an input unit 86 and an image conversion unit 89.

  Next, a photo album booklet creation processing procedure by the album creating means 80 configured as described above will be described with reference to FIGS. The captured image and the additional image are captured in advance through the film scanner 20 and the media reader 21 and developed in the memory 30.

  The input unit 86 of the album creating unit 80 acquires a captured image and an additional image developed in the memory 30 based on an operation input from the keyboard 24, the mouse 25, or the like. The input unit 86 includes an image input unit 87 and a character input unit 88, and can input characters as well as images. The character input unit 88 acquires characters stored in the memory 30 or characters directly input from the keyboard 24. The image conversion unit 89 converts the character received by the character input unit 88 into, for example, a bitmap and converts it into an image file. Note that the image conversion unit 89 may be configured to convert an image received by the image input unit 87 into an image file of a predetermined format, for example, by converting an image in JPEG format into a bitmap.

  The template creation unit 82 creates a page sheet template that constitutes a photo album booklet. Specifically, first, a template for creating a use template is selected from the basic templates stored in the template storage unit 81 and read onto the editing screen 50 (# 101). Subsequently, the template creation unit 82 arranges the captured image frame 41 and the additional image frame 42 in this basic template (# 102).

  Here, FIG. 6 shows an example of the editing screen 50 of the basic template 40 in which the photographed image frame 41 and the additional image frame 42 are arranged. This editing screen 50 displays the basic template 40 for the page sheet. The additional image frame 42 added to the photo album booklet can be arranged and edited on the same basic template 40. Furthermore, the editing screen 50 of this embodiment is provided with an attribute information setting area 52 for setting attribute information for the additional image frame 42, a template switching area for switching the template 40 displayed in the template display area 51, and the like. It has been. The template 40 to be edited on the editing screen 50 is a template for the cover, back cover, back cover, and main body of the photo album booklet, and the template displayed in the template display area 51 by an input operation to the check box of the template switching area. 40 is configured to be switched. Here, the arrangement of the captured image frame 41 and the additional image frame 42 is edited on the same template 40 for the left and right spread pages of the main body. The template 40 displayed in the template display area 51 of FIG. 6 is a page sheet template related to the main body of the photo album booklet, and three photographed image frames 41 are vertically arranged in the left column, and the photographed image frame is displayed. On the right side of each of the 41, a comment field for inputting a comment on the photographed image is provided. An additional image frame 42a is provided in the header area of the template 40, and additional image frames 42b and 42c are provided in the footer area.

  Next, the template creation unit 82 links the attribute information that defines the editing specifications for each page to the set additional image frame 42 based on the operation input from the keyboard 24 or the mouse 25 (# 103). . The attribute information here includes information that defines the layout of the additional image frame 42 and the necessity thereof on a page basis. Furthermore, the attribute information can include information for selecting an additional image assigned to the additional image frame 42 from a plurality of additional images in units of pages.

Specifically, as the layout information of the additional image frame 42, the arrangement information of the additional image frames 42a, 42b, and 42c in the template 40 is set as the attribute information. In addition, as information that defines whether or not the additional image frame 42 is necessary in units of pages, any one of the pages to be displayed is set as a full page, a spread left page, or a spread right page. As shown in FIG. 6, the information defining whether or not the additional image frame 42 is necessary in units of pages is configured to be set by selecting a check box in the attribute information setting area 52. Here, all pages are set in the additional image frame 42a, a left spread page is set in the additional image frame 42b, and a right spread page is set in the additional image frame 42c. Note that the information specifying the necessity of the additional image frame 42 in units of pages is not limited to the above-mentioned all pages, spread left pages, and spread right pages, but, for example, a display page range is set by inputting start and end pages. It is also a desirable embodiment to be configured to input a certain condition such as.
Further, in the case where information for selecting an additional image assigned to the additional image frame 42 from a plurality of additional images in units of pages is set as attribute information, for example, the plurality of additional images are arranged in a fixed order in the captured image frame 41. The case of repeatedly assigning, changing the additional image of a part of the page, or assigning a plurality of continuous additional images like a flip book can be considered.

  The print image generation unit 83 generates a print image of a plurality of page sheets using the use template created by the template creation unit 82. Specifically, first, the captured images are sequentially assigned to the captured image frame 41 of each page (# 201). Next, the print image generation unit 83 assigns the additional image frame 42 while editing the additional image based on the attribute information (# 202). Here, FIG. 7 shows an example of a print image including a spread left page and a spread right page. Specifically, the additional image assigned to the additional image frame 42a in which all pages are set as attribute information is printed on both the left and right pages. Similarly, the additional image assigned to the additional image frame 42b in which the spread left page is set as attribute information is printed only on the spread left page, and the additional image assigned to the additional image frame 42c in which the spread right page is set is It is printed only on the right-page spread.

  The print data conversion unit 84 converts the print image generated by the print image generation unit 83 into print data (# 300). The print output unit 85 outputs a page sheet by sequentially forming print images on a recording medium based on the print data (# 400). In the present embodiment, print images are sequentially stored in the memory 30. A photo album booklet can be created by printing it at the print station. It may be configured to store in a recording medium such as a CD-R.

External view of a photographic printing apparatus according to the present invention Schematic diagram showing the configuration of a print station of a photographic printing apparatus according to the present invention. Functional block diagram illustrating functional elements constructed in the controller of the photographic printing apparatus according to the present invention The block diagram which shows the structure of the album creation means concerning this invention Flow chart showing the procedure for creating a photo album booklet by the album creating means Schematic diagram showing an example of the usage template editing screen Schematic diagram showing an example of a print image

Explanation of symbols

80 Album creation means 81 Template storage unit 82 Template creation unit 83 Print image generation unit 84 Print data conversion unit 85 Print data output unit

Claims (4)

In the photo printing device for outputting each page sheet constituting the photo album booklet,
A template storage unit for storing a basic template for the page sheet;
A captured image frame and an additional image frame for assigning images that can be arranged in common in the plurality of page sheets are set for the basic template read from the template storage unit, and the set additional image frame A template creation unit that creates a use template by linking attribute information that defines editing specifications in page units;
A plurality of page sheets can be obtained by sequentially assigning photographed images to the photographed image frames using the use templates provided from the template creation unit, and assigning additional images to the additional image frames while editing based on attribute information. A print image generation unit for generating a print image of
A print data converter for converting the print image into print data;
A photographic printing apparatus comprising: a print output unit that outputs the page sheet by sequentially forming the print image on a recording medium based on the print data.   2. The photo printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the attribute information includes information specifying a layout of the additional image frame and / or necessity of the additional image frame in page units. . The additional image is photographic printing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a bit-mapped characters. In the photo printing device for outputting each page sheet constituting the photo album booklet,
An additional image frame for assigning all images that can be arranged in common in a plurality of the page sheets added to the photo album booklet is arranged and edited on a template for the same page sheet. Has an edit screen,
Attribute information that defines editing specifications in page units is linked to the additional image frame set for the template, and the captured images are sequentially placed in the captured image frame set for the template to which the attribute information is linked. A print image generation unit that sequentially generates a print image of a plurality of page sheets by assigning additional images to the additional image frame based on attribute information;
A print data converter for converting the print image into print data;
A photographic printing apparatus comprising: a print output unit that outputs the page sheet by sequentially forming the print image on a recording medium based on the print data.

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