JPH0545717A - Information recording method and camera - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily record code information on a photographic film with high reliability and to rapidly find out the erroneous read of the code information. CONSTITUTION:A code information recording area 38 and a character information recording area 40 are provided in a negative film 14. A light source part 70 is constituted of an LED 76 and a slit plate 80 and plays the role of recording a bar code on the area 38. The LED 76 is flickered in synchronism with a pulse signal from a sensor part 62. A light source part 72 is constituted of an LED 84 and a shutter plate 86 having plural cells 88. By setting the respective condensing points of light beams passing through the cells 88 as the unit dot of a dot pattern constructing a character, and driving and opening/closing the cells 88 in synchronism with the pulse signal from the sensor part 62 according as the negative film 14 is fed, one character is printed-in a specified area as the dot pattern.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information recording method and a camera for recording information about an image on a photographic film.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, photographing information (for example, presence / absence of a strobe, distance, focus, color temperature, date, user ID information) of an image photographed by a camera is coded and optically coded in a base portion of a negative film. A recording method and a camera equipped with this method have been proposed (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-5).
0744, JP-A-61-246730, JP-A-1-
246533).

Coded information is recorded by a bar (hereinafter referred to as a bar code). Generally, when this bar code is optically recorded on a negative film, an LED array or an encoder linked with film running is generally used. The base is burned by pulsed light emission of an LED array combined with the above.

As a result, during the photoprinting process in a laboratory or the like, it is possible to read the recorded bar code information and perform the photoprinting process under optimum conditions.

However, the information recorded by the bar code may not be immediately judged by the operator, and when misread by the bar code reader, the misread content may be processed. For example, in recent years, a photographic processing system has been proposed in which an image is recorded on a negative film in the same size, and when the image is printed on photographic paper later, it can be a panoramic size or a standard size. If such a size instruction is made by a bar code and misread, a printing process contrary to the customer's wish is performed, which is a problem.

On the other hand, a strip-shaped transparent magnetic material (hereinafter referred to as a magnetic track) may be applied to a negative film to magnetically record information specifying the negative film and information specifying an image printed on the negative film. Proposed. According to this, information can be stored on the magnetic track corresponding to each image frame.

In the information to be recorded, the information to be recorded for each image frame includes a frame number, sensitivity, shooting date and time,
Specifying pseudo zoom / panorama, backlight / under or overexposure shooting, flash shooting, color temperature, color temperature, shutter speed, aperture, subject distance, camera posture at the time of shooting, shooting location, subject name, and other shooting memos Etc. are possible.

By obtaining such information for each frame, when a color print is obtained from a film photographed with a negative film, designation of pseudo zoom / panorama, backlight / under or overexposure photographing, stroboscopic photographing, Since information such as color temperature can be used, printing can be performed in a state closer to what was intended at the time of shooting.

Further, in the laboratory, it is possible to record the exposure amount at the time of printing for each image frame at the time of printing on photographic printing paper. Therefore, at the time of reordering, if the recorded exposure amount and the like are read, the printing process can be performed under the same conditions.

[0010]

However, the transparent magnetic substance is obtained because the amount of the magnetic substance is substantially 1/10 of that of the magnetic substance which is generally used in the magnetic recording system. The output becomes weak.

Further, since the negative film is wound into a roll and accommodated in the cartridge, it is very difficult to obtain a good head touch due to the tight curl.
Therefore, the output further fluctuates.

In addition, since electromagnetic noise from a DC motor for film transport has a great influence on a camera, S (signal)
The / N (noise) ratio is very small. Furthermore, the environment in which the camera is used is severe in temperature and humidity conditions, for example, from extremely cold regions such as winter mountains to scorching regions such as the coast in midsummer. Considering expansion, contraction, change in rigidity, and the like of the negative film that occurs due to this, it is difficult to secure high reliability that is considered from the common sense of magnetic recording systems.

For the above reasons, items that should not be mistaken, such as items instructed by the user to the laboratory (for example, size specification items for panoramas, etc.), may be misread.

In consideration of the above facts, the present invention provides an information recording method and a camera capable of easily and reliably recording code information on a photographic film and promptly detecting misreading of code information. Is the purpose.

[0015]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information recording method for recording information about an image on a photographic film, comprising a code information area for recording the information as code information and the information. It is characterized in that it is recorded separately from the character information area recorded as character information.

The invention according to claim 2 is an information recording method for recording information about an image on a photographic film, which is an important matter including recording the information as code information and at least including instruction information from a customer to a laboratory. It is characterized in that the above information is written as character information in association with the code information.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the character information on the photographic film is provided with a plurality of cells in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the photographic film, and light is passed or blocked independently from each cell. It is characterized in that the passing light is recorded as one unit of a plurality of dots forming one character in synchronization with the transport speed of the photographic film.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a camera having a function of recording information about an image on a photographic film, the code information recording the information as code information at a predetermined position outside the image area of the photographic film. It has a recording means and a character information recording means for recording at least information on instructions from the customer to the laboratory as character information outside the photographic film image area and outside the predetermined position.

[0019]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the information relating to the image is code information and character information, and is recorded separately in each area. Therefore, the information read as the code information is converted into the character information. The information can be easily confirmed.

According to the second aspect of the invention, the amount of character information that can be recorded in a limited area is extremely smaller than that of code information. Therefore, only important items including at least information from the customer to the laboratory are selected from all the information and are also described as character information as code information. This improves the certainty of information transmission between the customer and the laboratory.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the character information is formed in a dot pattern, a plurality of cells are provided in a direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the photographic film, and light passes through each cell independently or After blocking, the dot pattern for one row is printed on the photographic film, and the dot pattern for the next row is sequentially printed on the photographic film in synchronization with the conveying speed of the photographic film. As a result, characters can be recorded only by passing or blocking the light of the cell.

According to the invention described in claim 4, the information about the image is recorded as the code information by the code information recording means, and at least the information of the instructions from the customer to the laboratory is recorded by the character information recording means. Record.
Thereby, the information to be transmitted between the customer and the laboratory can be written together with the code information and the character information, and the information can be visually confirmed. Therefore, the reliability of information at the time of transmitting information can be improved.

[0023]

1 shows a camera 10 and a photo printing apparatus 12 according to this embodiment. The camera 10 is loaded with a cartridge 18 which accommodates the negative film 14 wound around a spool 16 on one side thereof.

The leading end of the negative film 14 is sequentially drawn while being wound on the reel 20 and moved to the photographing position. As shown in FIG. 2, a motor 26 connected to a control unit 24 via a motor driver 22 is built in the reel 20, and the reel 20 is rotated by the driving force of the motor 26.

The control section 24 includes a release button 28, a size designation key 30 for inputting the size of the image frame 14A taken at the time of printing, an operation key 31 for inputting the shooting date and shooting location, and a shutter speed. A metering circuit 32 and a distance measuring circuit 34, which determine whether or not a diaphragm or a strobe is used and output it to the control unit 24, are connected.

As shown in FIG. 3, the negative film 14 has an information recording area 3 along the longitudinal direction at one end in the width direction.
6 is provided. 3A shows a color negative film and FIG. 3B shows a color reversal film.

The information recording area section 36 is divided for each image frame 14A to be photographed, and is formed by two tracks parallel to each other.

The track on the side close to the edge of the negative film 14 is an area where code information is optically recorded (hereinafter referred to as code information recording area 38), and information relating to an image is recorded as a bar code. It is supposed to be done.

The information contents of this bar code are as follows:
First, there is information for instructing the shooting frame. This is information for performing frame setting in the photo printing apparatus 12, and by reading the bar code from the negative film 14 and automatically performing frame setting, efficiency is improved and reliability is improved.

Further, other information contents include a photographing memo and camera photographing information. Since these can be automatically read by the photo printing device 12 by using a bar code, the shooting memo can be printed on the back side of the photographic paper for the shooting memo, or the exposure amount of the camera shooting information can be automatically detected during the printing process. Corrections can be made.

On the other hand, the track near the image frame 14A is an area where character information is optically recorded (hereinafter,
In the character information recording area 40), information about the image is recorded in the form of characters.

Since the character information recording area 40 has substantially the same area as the code information recording area 38, the recordable information amount is smaller than the code information. For this reason,
From the information on images, the user's instructions to the laboratory are selected as the most important items, and the information content is limited.

As the information contents in this character, there is firstly information for designating the photographing frame. This is written together with the barcode in order to surely convey the user's intention to the laboratory. For example, the operator can easily determine P for the panoramic size, H for the high definition size, C for the cinerama size, and L for the standard size, and by optically recording these characters. The shooting frame can be determined. Therefore, even if the bar code is erroneously read, the operator can easily change it to an appropriate photographing frame by visual inspection.

Further, as another information, there is a photographing memo. By recording this on the negative film as character information, the user can easily recognize the content and the search operation becomes easy.

Further, information about copyright (name of photographer, date of photographing, place, etc.) can be recorded in a non-rewritable state, which is useful for securing the right of the photographer.

Of the above information, the shooting frame and shooting memo information are:
The information is input by the user each time the size designation key 30 and the operation key 31 provided on the camera 10 are operated.
Aperture, use of strobe, etc.) is information automatically recorded at the same time as shooting.

4 to 6, the exposure unit 4 of the camera 10 is shown.
2 is shown. As shown in FIG. 4, in the exposure section 42, a groove 44 is formed in the base 46 along the transport direction of the negative film 14, and the lower surface thereof serves as a transport path for the negative film 14.

The base 46 is provided with a rectangular opening 48 for limiting the image range, and a subject is imaged through the lens 50 on the negative film 14 on the opening 48 to be exposed. ing.

As shown in FIG. 5, a rectangular groove 52 is formed in one end of the base 46 in the width direction, and a roller 54 is accommodated therein. The roller 54 is axially supported by the vertical wall of the groove 52 via a shaft 56. The peripheral surface of the roller 54 is slightly projected from the surface of the base 46. Further, a pressing member 58 having an elastic force is disposed on the surface of the negative film 14 opposite to the roller 54, whereby the negative film 14 is urged by the pressing member 58 in the direction of the roller 54. The roller 54 and the pressing member 58 sandwich the roller 54 and the pressing member 58.

On the shaft 56 of the roller 54, there is coaxially fixed a disc 60 on which radial black and white bars are evenly printed. A sensor unit 62 connected to the control unit 24 is provided corresponding to the disc 62, and the disc 60 and the sensor unit 62 are provided.
And constitute the encoder 63. For this reason,
The sensor unit 62 can output a pulse signal by detecting a white or black print according to the rotation of the roller 54.

Pressure plates 65 are placed on the upper surfaces of both end portions in the width direction of the exposure section 42 to prevent the negative film 14 from floating in the exposure section 42 during conveyance.

A slit hole 67 is formed in the base 46, and the light source unit 6 is embedded in the inner space of the base 46.
The light from No. 4 is applied to the surface of the negative film 14.

As shown in FIG. 6, the slit holes 67 are
The code information recording area 38 and the character information recording area 40
Is supported.

As shown in FIG. 7, the light source unit 64
Has a surface of the casing 66 facing the negative film 14 opened, and a lens 68 is attached thereto.

Inside the casing 66, the negative film 14
Two light source units 70 and 72 are provided along the width direction of the.

One of the light source units 70 is LE connected to the control unit 24 through the LED drive driver 74 (see FIG. 2).
D76 and a slit plate 80 disposed in front of the LED 76 and provided with a slit hole 78 whose longitudinal direction is the width direction of the negative film 14, and have a role of recording a barcode in the code information recording area 38. ing. LED
Reference numeral 76 is adapted to blink in synchronization with the pulse signal from the sensor section 62 of the encoder 63. That is, the one light source unit 70 is configured to burn the barcode 82 having a predetermined width according to the code information to be recorded according to the conveyance of the negative film 14.

The other light source section 72 is composed of an LED 84 connected to the control section 24 via an LED driving driver 74 and a shutter plate 86 having a plurality of cells 88 arranged in front of the LED 84. There is. Each cell 88 of the shutter plate 86 can be opened and closed independently,
The light emitted from the LED 84 is burned into the character recording area 40 of the negative film 14 through the lens 68 only the light that has passed through the cell 88. Here, each condensing point is a unit dot of a dot pattern forming a character, and one column in the vertical direction of the character is simultaneously burned. Also,
The horizontal direction of characters is synchronized with the pulse signal from the sensor unit 62 of the encoder 63, and the cells 88 are opened / closed in accordance with the conveyance of the negative film 14 to print one character in a predetermined area in a dot pattern. It is possible (7 × 7 dots in this embodiment).

Alternatively, each LED element may be made to blink independently by using an LED array in which the LED elements are arranged in the direction orthogonal to the transport direction of the negative film 14.

The negative film 14 that has been photographed is rewound into the cartridge 18 again, then taken out from the camera 10 and brought into the lab through the DPE store, where the negative film is developed and simultaneously printed. Be seen.

As shown in FIG. 1, the photographic printing apparatus 12 is
A negative carrier 102 is arranged on the optical axis of the light source 100 that is irradiated during printing. The negative carrier 102 is provided with a drive roller (not shown) that is rotated by the drive force of the drive unit 106 connected to the control device 104.
The negative film 14 is conveyed in the direction of arrow A in FIG.

Further, the negative carrier 102 is provided with a solenoid 108, and the negative film 14 can be clamped and pressed at the printing position by a signal from the control device 104.

Each CMY filter 110 is interposed between the light source 100 and the negative carrier 102 so that it is projected and retracted on the optical axis according to the exposure amount of each color.

The light rays transmitted through the negative film 14 are irradiated onto the photographic printing paper 114 via the lens 112, and the photographic printing paper 114 is
The image is designed to be printed. A shutter 116 is interposed between the photographic printing paper 114 and the lens 112, and a signal from the control device 104 causes the shutter 116 to retract from the optical axis during exposure.

On the conveying path of the negative film 14,
The information reading unit 11 is provided on the upstream side of the negative carrier 102.
8 is arranged so that the information recorded in the code recording area 38 can be read.

As shown in FIG. 8, the information reading section 118.
Is arranged so that the negative film 14 passes between them.
0 and the light receiving portion 122 are arranged so as to face each other. The light projecting unit 120 is provided with a light source 126 at one end (the side far from the negative film 14) of a diffusion plate 124 whose inner peripheral surface is a mirror. In addition, the negative film 14 of the diffusion plate 124
A condensing lens 128 is arranged at the side end, and a light source 126
The light from the code information recording area 3 for one image frame 14A
The whole area of 8 is irradiated.

On the other hand, in the light receiving portion, a CCD in which the negative film 14 is conveyed in the longitudinal direction via the lens 129.
A line sensor 130 is arranged. The longitudinal dimension of the CCD line sensor 130 corresponds to the code information recording area 38 for one image frame, and when the transfer of the negative film 14 is stopped during the printing process, the image frame being printed is printed. It is also possible to read the code information of the image frame one or two frames before.

The bar code 82 read by the CCD line sensor 130 is sent to the control device 104 and is applied as a parameter for decoding the code information and determining the printing conditions and the like.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below. After shooting with the camera 10, the user can instruct what size of the shot image should be printed on the photographic printing paper 114 (shooting frame information). Also, the name of the photographer of this image,
Enter user-specific information such as the shooting date, location, and reference number (shooting memo).

Further, the camera 10 automatically determines shooting conditions such as shutter speed, aperture, use of strobe, etc. at the time of shooting (camera shooting information).

These pieces of information are converted into code information and a part of them is recorded as character information in the code information recording area 38 and the character information recording area 40 corresponding to each image frame 14A of the negative film 14.

That is, when the negative film 14 is conveyed to the next photographing position, the LED 76 of the one light source section 70 is repeatedly turned on and off in synchronization with the pulse signal from the sensor section 62 of the encoder 63. The light from the LED 76 passes through the slit hole 78 of the slit plate 80 and reaches the negative film 14, so that the thinnest bar is burned when the negative film 14 is stopped. However, since the negative film 14 is being transported, the LED 7
By controlling the lighting time of No. 6, it is possible to burn a bar having a predetermined width. Thereby, a series of information can be converted into a bar code and recorded in the code information recording area 38.

At the same time, the LED 84 serving as the other light source section 72 is turned on, and the cell 8 of the shutter plate 86 is turned on.
8 is opened / closed in accordance with the information for one column (7 dots) in the vertical direction of the dot pattern of one character information. Here, since the negative film 14 is being conveyed, the negative film 14 is sequentially opened and closed in synchronization with the pulse signal from the sensor unit 62 of the encoder 63 in correspondence with the dot pattern information for each row, and the film is conveyed laterally (negative film conveyance). Information for 7 dots is recorded in the (direction), and one character (7 × 7) is printed.

By repeating this, the required number of characters are imprinted and the character information can be recorded in the character information recording area.

Here, the character information has a smaller capacity than the code information and cannot record the same amount of information as the code information. Therefore, in this embodiment, a part of the input information is selected and recorded with the instruction from the user to the laboratory as the most important item.

As an instruction from the user to the laboratory, there is an instruction of the photographing frame. If the instruction of this shooting frame is not reliably transmitted to the lab, it will cause trouble, but in this embodiment,
Regarding this shooting frame instruction, the letters (P, H, C, L)
Since the image frame 14A of the negative film 14 is printed in correspondence with each image frame, the photographing frame can be discriminated at a glance after the development process of the negative film 14.

Another content to be recorded as character information is a shooting memo. This is because after the negative film 14 is developed and returned, the user can easily visually identify it as the information regarding the image frame, and thus the user can easily organize and search the negative film 14.

The negative film 14, which has been taken up by the camera 10 and rewound on the spool 16 of the cartridge 18, is brought to the DPE store by the user and
Transported from the store to the lab.

In the laboratory, the negative film 14 is developed and then, in the case of simultaneous printing, the photographic printing apparatus 12 is used.
Is loaded at a predetermined position.

The negative film 14 is pulled out from the loaded cartridge 18, and the drive unit 1 of the negative carrier 102 is pulled out.
When it is transported by 06, the information reading unit 1
The bar code information recorded in the code information recording area 38 is read by the light source unit 70 of the camera 10 by the camera 18.

In the lab, based on the information read,
A printing condition such as an exposure amount is set, each image frame 14A is sequentially positioned at a printing position, and a printing process is performed.

Here, the information read from the code information recording area 38 of the negative film 14 includes information on the photographing frame. Based on the information about the photographing frame, the printing area on the printing paper 114, the transport distance of the printing paper, the enlargement ratio, and the mask area of the image frame are different. In the present embodiment, the specified conditions are automatically set based on the read shooting frame information.

By the way, after returning to the user, a claim may be made due to the fact that the size is different from the instructed size. In such a case, whether there was an erroneous reading in reading the bar code or the user's memory error. However, I could not judge immediately.

Therefore, in this embodiment, the instruction items from the user to the laboratory including the photographing frame are also written in the character information recording area 40 as character information. As a result, the negative film 1
Only by looking at 4, it is possible to determine at a glance what the designated shooting frame was, and troubles can be prevented.

Further, if the operator collates the contents of the code information read at the time of the burning process with the visually checked contents, it is possible to judge the misreading of the bar code before the burning process, and the erroneous photographing frame is different. There is no such thing as baking.

As described above, since the code information and the character information are written together in this embodiment, the visual judgment of the user and the operator can be easily made without relying only on the automatic reading. It is possible to improve the certainty of information transmission between them.

Further, by recording the character information as in this embodiment, it is possible to easily recognize the print size intended by the user even with the printing apparatus which does not have a device for automatically reading the code information. ..

Further, in the case of a film for slide (reversal film), by recording the photographic memo as character information, it becomes easy to search for frames, and T
Code information can be read by a presentation device such as a V player or a slide projector, and frame setting and character extraction can be performed automatically.

In this embodiment, a bar code is applied as the code information, and the negative film 14 is optically baked. However, the negative film 14 is coated with a magnetic material (preferably a transparent magnetic material) to obtain the code information. May be magnetically recorded as magnetic information.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the code information recording area 38 and the character information recording area 40 are recorded side by side at the same end of the negative film 14, but they may be recorded separately at both ends. Also, three types of information, magnetic information, barcode information, and character information may be written together.

In this embodiment, the information is transferred to the image frame 14
It was recorded corresponding to each of A, but negative film 1
Alternatively, the image may be recorded in a portion where the image frame 14A does not exist at the tip of No. 4.

Further, in this embodiment, the negative film 14 is used.
Camera 1 for shooting images by loading a cartridge containing
0 has been described, but in recent years, as shown in FIG. 9, the cartridge 120 accommodating the negative film 14 and the camera body 122 are integrated.
There is an increasing demand for so-called disposable cameras 124 that bring in a DPE shop every 22 and request simultaneous printing or the like.

In such a disposable camera 124, a window 126 that is opened and closed in synchronization with the shutter is provided at a position corresponding to one end of the negative film 14 in the width direction, and character information (P, H, C) for supporting the print size is provided in advance. , L) are made slidable on the window 126, the print size can be designated for each image frame 14A.

[0083]

As described above, the information recording method and camera according to the present invention can record code information on a photographic film easily and with high reliability, and can quickly detect erroneous reading of code information. It has an excellent effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram for recording and reproducing information according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the camera according to the present embodiment when viewed from above.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the negative film according to the present embodiment,
(A) is a color negative film, and (B) is a color reversal film.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an exposure unit of the camera.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an encoder for detecting the transport speed of a negative film and its surroundings.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a light source unit portion for recording information on a negative film and its periphery.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a light source unit.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an information reading unit in the photo printing apparatus.

9A is a front view of the single-use camera seen from the viewfinder side, and FIG. 9B is an enlarged perspective view of a print size instruction unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Camera 14 Negative Film 38 Code Information Recording Area 40 Character Information Recording Area 64 Light Source Unit 70 Light Source Section 72 Light Source Section 80 Slit Plate 86 Shutter Plate

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An information recording method for recording information about an image on a photographic film, the recording being divided into a code information area for recording the information as code information and a character information area for recording the information as character information. An information recording method characterized by: 2. An information recording method for recording information about an image on a photographic film, wherein the information is recorded as code information, and at least information of important matters including instruction information from a customer to a lab is written as character information. An information recording method, characterized in that the information is recorded together with the code information. 3. The character information on the photographic film is provided with a plurality of cells in a direction orthogonal to the conveying direction of the photographic film, and allows light to pass or be blocked independently from each cell,
3. The information recording method according to claim 1, wherein the passing light is recorded as one unit of a plurality of dots forming one character in synchronization with the transport speed of the photographic film. 4. A camera having a function of recording information about an image on a photographic film, the code information recording means recording the information as code information at a predetermined position outside the image area of the photographic film, and at least from a customer. A character information recording unit for recording information on instructions to a laboratory as character information outside the photographic film image area and outside the predetermined position.