JPH03214886A - High picture quality hard copy system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve resolution by constituting to print out time series signals ER, EG and EB of three primary colors of the output of a CCD as they are. CONSTITUTION:The output of the color picture element of a CCD 2 controls ink jets 33, 34 and 35 with a switch 3 directly. That is, printing paper becomes the image of the arrangement of R, G and B of the same picture element arrangement as the image pickup of the CCD 2. In this case, since an LPF does not exist, it becomes the distinct color picture image. By a constitution, when the output signal of a electronic still camera is used for hard copy printing, the lowering of resolution is prevented and the improvement of the picture quality can be attained.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a high-quality hard copy system when output signals from an electronic still camera are used for hard copy printing.

[Summary of the Invention] A display system for an electronic still (color) camera
This is a hard copy method in which the output of the COD is directly displayed on an R, G, B monitor without converting it to a signal, or in the case of color printing, the pixel array of the print is made equal to the color pixel array of the COD.

[Prior Art] The output signal of an electronic still camera is usually sent in the form of an NTSC signal, and the reproduced image is transmitted through (1) the electronic display system (CRT or LCD) of the color receiver;
). or (2) make a hard copy and display it on paper.

Generally, electronic still cameras use color COD as the image sensor. Figure 4 shows the color pixel arrangement. FIG. 4(a) shows a stripe arrangement, and the horizontal pitch is p. It is. Figure 4(b) is equivalently R, G, B
The color pixels are of the delta (Δ) type. In this case as well, the horizontal pitch is pc.

On the other hand, the pixel arrangement for printing is shown in FIG. 5(Q). Here, the pitch is pl. (d) is a case of subtractive color mixing in normal printing, where C is the complementary color of R, G, and B.
V + M g r Y e overlap, and the center distance between them is p2. Although it depends on the size at which the output signal of the electronic still camera is displayed, in general, the relationship (1) holds between the reproduced image and the COD image.

pc<pp (1) In other words, since the pixels of the printed matter are finer, the image of the electronic still camera will appear blurred.

As will be explained later, the output of the CCD of an electronic still camera is the fourth
The signal in the figure is scanned horizontally and filtered in the time domain with a low pass filter p. The sampling frequency is suppressed by When replaced with a spatial frequency, the output signal of an electronic still camera has a cutoff frequency f according to the sampling theorem.
A low-pass filter is used.

fo ≦ 1/2pc ・・・・・・・・・
- (2) In other words, the printed image will only be reproduced with an MTF that is less than fO in terms of the COD captured image.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the print configuration of a conventional electronic still camera. In the figure, 1 is a lens, 2 is an image sensor (C
CD), 3 is R,G. B separation switch, 4 clock signal f. ．． 5, 6.7 is a low-pass filter (
≦ 1/2pc), 8 is matrix (A), 9,1
0 is a color difference low-pass filter, 11 is a delay line, 12
．． 13 is a balanced modulator, 14 is a subcarrier fsc .
1 5 is a 90' phase shift circuit, 16 is an adder circuit, 17 is a transmission section, 18 is a YC separation circuit, 19 is a subcarrier fsc.
20 is 90@phase shift circuit, 21.22 is synchronous detector, 2
3.24 is a low-pass filter, 25 is a matrix (A''), 26 is an R, G, B display system, 27 is an optical system, 28 is a color copy, 29, 30.31 is a switch, 32 is a pixel control clock, 33, 34.35
36 represents a color nozzle, and 36 represents a printing paper.

The object is photographed on the CCD 2 using the lens 1, and the COD of the configuration shown in Fig. 4 is converted to R, G,
B's outputs ER, EC, 'EB are time-series, which are separated by switch 3, and low-pass filters 5 and 6.
．． 7 removes the sampling frequency, matrix (A) 8 generates, for example, the luminance Ey of the NTSC signal and the color difference signal ER-Y y Ea-v, and the band of the color difference signal is limited by low-pass filters 9 and 10. Furthermore, balanced modulator 1
2.13 with subcarrier cosω3ct 14 and
90″ phase shift same path sinωsct with 90′ phase shift in 15
is modulated as a carrier wave, and the adder 16 combines Ev with the signal delayed by the delay line 11 and sends it to the transmission section 17.
recorded or transmitted as an NTSC signal. NTS
The reason for using the C signal is so that it can be viewed on a normal color broadcasting (NTSC system) receiver.

The lower receiver in Figure 6 is an NTSC demodulator, and Y
YC is separated by the C separation circuit 18, and the chromaticity component is cosω.
subcarrier 19 of sct and 90° phase shift circuit 2o
Synchronous detector 21 with sinωsct phase shifted by 90°.
22 and demodulated with low pass filters 23 and 24.
Restore R-Y+E B-Y, YC separation circuit 18
ER, E with the luminance signal and matrix (A-1)25
The signals are displayed on the color display 26 as three primary color signals of C and EB. Further, this is recorded on a color film 28 via an optical system 27. Furthermore, El+EO+E
The three primary color signals of e are passed through switches 29, 30, and 31 to control ink jets 33, 34, and 35. The control is performed according to the printing pixel using the printing pixel control clock 32, and is recorded on the printing paper 36. In addition, the 6th
In the figure, the signal of additive color mixture of E R + Ea, Ea is shown, so the color nozzles 33, 34, 35
, B ink so as not to overlap, yellow, cyan, magenta (Y e, C y + M g
), it is necessary to convert the ER, EO, and EB signals to EYIII Ecyt EMa.

The details of the image thus obtained are blurred because the CCD pixel array is blurred by a low-pass filter 5,6.7.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The image sensor of an electronic still camera uses a solid-state image sensor such as a COD (charge-coupled device), and its output is converted into an NTSC signal and displayed.
) In case of (2), the image is of broadcasting quality and is suitable for tenon purposes, but in case of (2), it is often used for business purposes where it is printed.
There are many cases where people are dissatisfied with the same level of image quality as 1), especially in terms of resolution. [Object of the Invention] An object of the present invention is to provide a high-quality hard copy method that prevents a decrease in resolution and improves image quality when using the output signal of an electronic still camera for hard copy printing. It is. [Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, a high-quality hard copy method according to the present invention provides a time-series ER obtained from an image sensor,
E (1, a switch that separates the EB rectangular wave, and the above ER
, EO-EB signals directly to the hard copy inkjet.

[Function] The time-series signals of the three primary colors ER-EC and Ea output from the COD are printed and displayed as they are, so the Nyquist filter determined by the pitch of the COD pixels, which is incorporated when creating conventional luminance signals, is not required. As a result, the resolution improves.

[Examples] The present invention will be explained in more detail below using Examples with reference to the drawings, but these are merely illustrative and various modifications and improvements can be made without going beyond the scope of the present invention. Of course it is possible.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a high-quality hard copy system according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numbers common to those in FIG. 6 represent the same or corresponding parts. The operation of the above embodiment will be explained below.

The output of the color pixels of CCD 2 directly controls inkjet 33, 34, 35 by switch 3. That is, the printing paper 36 has the same pixel arrangement as the image taken by the CCD 2, so the R, G,
This will be an image of the array B.

In this case, the low-pass filters 5, 6, 7 in Figure 6 are used.
Since there is no color image, the color image is clearer than that shown in FIG.

Of course, electronic display on a color monitor is possible by inputting color nozzles 33, 34, and 35 shown in FIG. 1 to each terminal of an RGB monitor of a television.

Furthermore, in the pixel arrangement when using the complementary color Yel Cyt Mg during printing, as shown in Figure 2, Ye and cy are horizontally elongated, and Mg is separated at both ends. Figure 3 shows an example of CCD output signals, signal processing, and display. (e) is the array of CCD output E Rp E a yE8, and in the method according to the present invention, it is the same even on the print screen (the pulse width is wider on the display) - (f)
．． (g) and (h) are signals in which the three primary color signals are band-limited to ≦ 1/2pc, and (i) is (f). (g), (
This is the case where the luminance signal EY is created from h), and (j) is an example of displaying this on the screen. The brightness distribution of the conventional method is (
j), but in the method according to the present invention, (e) (strictly speaking, the brightness ratio of R, G, B is 0.3:0.5 9:0
．． 1 (multiply the amplitude of (e) by 1), and the brightness changes can be reproduced in detail. In particular, the resolution of achromatic subjects increases. [Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent a decrease in resolution and improve image quality when output signals from an electronic still camera are used for hard copy printing.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a high-quality hard copy system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the pixel configuration of complementary colors, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing various waveforms and displays during signal processing, and FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a color pixel arrangement for COD, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a pixel arrangement for printing, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a conventional electronic still camera and the printing process thereof. 1... Lens, 2... Image sensor (COD), 3... R, G,
B Separation switch, 4... Clock signal fc, 33, 34.35... Color nozzle, 36... Printing paper. 1; 1st 2; Shooting red + (CCD) 3 + R G B separation switch 4: Kuku D Kuku q fc 33, 34.35 Kokura nozzle 3s; Meiji (1) Ev Figure 5

Claims (1)

[Claims] Time-series E_R, E_G, E_ obtained from an image sensor
A switch that separates the rectangular wave of B, and the above E_R, E
A high-quality hardcopy system comprising means for supplying _G and E_B signals directly to an inkjet hardcopy.