JPH05137099A - Video printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To erase a black frame generated when an image signal to Which blanking processing is applied is printed and to print only a required image by providing a masking circuit, and applying masking in which a blanking image area is set as a nonprint image area. CONSTITUTION:When a print range 102 is set by a print range designation device 16, a CPU 14 performs print after substituting image signals of white level for the image signals at the outside the range 102 out of the image signals stored in video memory 12 before the image signals are sent out from the memory 12 to a transfer circuit 22. Meanwhile, when the print range includes a blanking image area 32 like a print range 104, the image signal can be substituted to the one of white level unconditionally for a masking area by setting the masking area on the area 32 in advance by a masking area designation device 18. Thereby, the blanking image area included in the print range can be set as the nonprint image area, and only an effective image can be printed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to improvements in video printers for printing image signals.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A video printer is known which inputs an image signal from a video tape recorder or a video RAM of a computer and prints an image represented by the image signal on a paper material, and is used in various fields. Has been done.

In a conventional video printer, an input image signal is first temporarily stored in a video memory,
Next, the image signal is read from the video memory, and black-and-white or color printing is performed based on the video signal.

[0004]

By the way, in the scene mode of LD or the hand-shake mode of video movie, which has been adopted in recent years, a specific image signal of a single screen image signal is used as a blanking signal in the display image. Display processing (hereinafter referred to as blanking processing) is performed in which a specific area has a minimum brightness level or a constant value. Then, for example, by inputting an image signal including a blanking image region that has been subjected to blanking processing on the top and bottom or the left and right of the image
When printing is performed with a video printer, there is a problem that the blanking image area is printed in black and an obtrusive black frame is formed at the periphery of the image. The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to eliminate an unnecessary black frame when printing an image signal which has been subjected to blanking processing in a cinema scene mode of an LD, a shake mode of a video movie, or the like. An object of the present invention is to provide a video printer that can print only necessary images without displaying them.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a video printer according to the present invention is a masking circuit for masking a blanking image area in an image which has been subjected to a blanking process to make a blank image. It is characterized by having.

Here, an area designating device is provided to designate the area to be masked. Alternatively, an area determination circuit is provided to execute appropriate masking while determining the area to be masked according to the image signal.

[0007]

According to the above construction, the masking circuit allows
Masking is performed so that the blanking image area is not printed, the black frame generated when printing the blanked image signal is erased, and only necessary image information is printed.

If the blanking image area is known in advance, the masking area may be artificially specified by using the area specifying device. When the blanking image area is unknown or fluctuates, the area determination circuit dynamically changes the masking area according to the image signal, and always sets a suitable area.

The blanking image area can be judged by the area judging circuit based on, for example, the level difference of the image signal and the setting condition of the blanking area.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a video printer according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram thereof.

The video printer shown in FIG. 1 is connected to, for example, a video tape recorder or a computer for image processing, and receives an image signal to print. The image signal 100 input from the outside is A /
After being converted into a digital signal by the D converter 102, it is temporarily stored in the video memory 12 via the memory controller 10. Here, the memory controller 10 functions as an input / output interface for image signals and control signals.

The CPU 14 writes and reads an image signal to and from the video memory 12 by the memory controller 10.
In addition to the control of the masking circuit, the present embodiment has a function of a masking circuit and a function of a region determination circuit as described later.

The CPU 14 is connected to a printing range designating device 16 for designating a printing range and a masking region designating device 18 for designating a masking region. A D / A converter 20 is connected to the memory controller 10 and an image signal for monitoring is output to the outside. The image signal read from the video memory 12 is sent to the transfer circuit 22 via the memory controller 10, and after the data conversion for printing is performed here,
The print data is sent to the thermal head 24. As a result, the image is printed on the paper material. In addition to the thermal head 24, for example, an inkjet printing unit or the like may be used.

The operation of the video printer of the present embodiment constructed as above will be described below.

In FIG. 2, the image represented by the image signal stored in the video memory 12 is shown as an image. Here, 30 represents the entire image stored in the video memory 12. Also, in the figure, 32
Is the blanking image area described above, and the area exists at the upper and lower edges in the figure. Further, 34 is a substantially effective image area, and these areas 32 and 34 are
The whole image 30 is constituted by.

As shown in FIG. 1, the video printer of this embodiment has a print range designation device 16, which allows the operator to designate a desired print range. In FIG. 2, examples 102 and 104 of the print range are shown.

When the print range 102 is set, before sending the image signal from the video memory 12 to the transfer circuit 22, the CPU 14 sets the image signal stored in the video memory 12 outside the print range 102. All the image signals in the area are replaced with white level image signals.

After the replacement, all the image signals are read out from the video memory 12, and the thermal head 24 prints. A print image projected by the print is shown in FIG.

On the other hand, when the printing range includes the blanking image area 32 like the printing range 104, the CPU 14 converts all the image signals of the area outside the printing range 104 into the white level data as described above. Replace,
In this case, if the masking area designating device 18 sets a masking area for the blanking image area 32 in advance, the image signal for the masking area is unconditionally replaced with the white level. The print image in that case is shown in FIG. 4, and as shown in the drawing, the blanking image area included in the print range is made non-printed and only the effective image is printed.

As described above, when there is a blanking image area in the image, the masking process can be performed on the area, so that only an effective image can be printed without displaying a noticeable black frame.

Although the print range is designated by the print range designation device 16 in this embodiment, the image signal 1
It may be supplied from outside as in the case of No. 00, and a range designation command may be issued to the CPU 14.

In this embodiment, the print range is specified, but
When all of the images stored in the video memory 12 are printed, the images other than the masked image are printed, and only valid images are obtained as described above.

By the way, the CPU 14 of this embodiment has a function of determining a blanking image area, and can automatically determine a blanking image area and perform an appropriate masking process on the area. it can. In this case,
Since the blanking image area is generally a rectangular area, the level difference between the blanking signal and other effective image signals and the continuity of the signal levels in the horizontal direction and the vertical direction are assumed on the basis of its nature. The masking area may be automatically determined in consideration. According to such control, an appropriate masking process can be always executed, and the masking process can be applied to an arbitrary image signal. If the blanking image area is known in advance, it is convenient to artificially specify the area using the masking area specifying device 18.
In this case, it is preferable to give a signal for designating a masking area from the outside to the CPU 14 without using the masking area designating device 18.

To specify the print range and the masking area, an image stored in the video memory 12 is displayed on a monitor (not shown), a cursor or the like is displayed on the monitor, and the print range or masking is performed by the cursor. You can also specify the area. The present invention can be applied to both black and white images and color images.

[0026]

As described above, according to the video printer of the present invention, the blanking image area in the image subjected to the blanking processing by the masking circuit can be masked, which is annoying and unnecessary. There is an effect that only a valid image can be printed by erasing a black frame or the like related to the blanking process.

Further, if the area specifying device specifies the area to be masked, the operator can effectively specify the masking area without waste.

Further, if the area judging circuit is provided, there is an effect that the area to be masked can be automatically judged and a proper area setting according to the image signal can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of a video printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing a relationship between an image stored in a video memory and a print range.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a print image when a print range 102 is set.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a print image when a print range 104 is set.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Memory Controller 12 Video Memory 14 CPU 16 Printing Range Designating Device 18 Masking Area Designating Device 24 Thermal Head

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A video printer for printing an image by inputting an image signal, comprising a masking circuit for masking a blanking image area in an image subjected to blanking processing to produce no printing. Video printer characterized by. 2. The video printer according to claim 1, further comprising an area designating device capable of variably designating the masking area. 3. The video printer according to claim 1, further comprising an area determination circuit for determining an area to be masked based on the image signal, wherein the masking area is variably set according to an input image signal. Characteristic video printer.