JPH061344B2 - Main image measuring device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a main image measuring device for measuring a main image designated on a monitor by enlarging it to a desired size, and an optical copying device, For example, the present invention relates to an improvement of an apparatus used for calculating a copying exposure amount in a photo printing apparatus, a CRT printer, a copying machine, a laser printer and the like.

[Conventional technology]

Although various images are recorded in the original image, it is difficult to finish all of them to a desired density. In addition, in the original color image, it is necessary to finish the color balance well in addition to the density. In general, a good finish of the main image often gives a high evaluation. Therefore, there is known a method of designating an area including a main image, measuring the image feature amount of this area, for example, the average density, and correcting the copy exposure amount (Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-2941).

Furthermore, the original image is displayed on a CRT on a monitor, the main image is designated by observing this monitor image, pixels having the same or similar color or density as the designated main image are automatically extracted, and from these pixels A method has also been proposed in which the constructed area is used as a main image area, and the copy exposure amount is calculated in consideration of the image feature amount of this main image area (Japanese Patent Application No. 61-32).
388).

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

Most of the main images are people, but in the case of the 35 mm photographic film, the size of the person's face is quite small. When the statistics of the size of the face recorded on the full-size screen were taken, it was found that 60% were 1.0 mm or more and 40% were less than 1.0 mm. As described above, when the size of the main image is small, it is difficult to specify it on the monitor.

Also, the pixel size of the image sensor that measures the original image is often 1.0 mm or more on the original image.
For 0%, the parts other than the main image are measured at the same time, so the main image cannot be measured correctly.

[Object of the Invention]

It is an object of the present invention to provide a main image measuring device capable of easily specifying a main image and measuring the main image with high accuracy.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention provides a magnification conversion optical system for enlarging an original image and an optical path splitting means for guiding the light passing through the magnification conversion optical system to an image pickup device of a monitor display system and an image sensor of a photometric system. It is a feature.

Another invention is to move the original image according to the position of the main image,
The main image is displayed almost in the center of the monitor screen.

There are manual and automatic methods for converting the magnification. In the case of manual operation, when the main image displayed on the monitor is small, the magnification designating key is operated to adjust the magnification conversion optical system to enlarge it to a predetermined size on the monitor. The magnified image is measured by the photometric system and displayed on the monitor display system.
By observing this monitor image and specifying the position of the main image, it is possible to extract pixels with the same or similar color or density as the specified part from the measured data of the enlarged original image. , The main image area is determined. Then, the image feature amount of the main image area, for example, the average density is detected from the densities of the pixels belonging to the main image area.

In the automatic case, when the main image is specified by the specifying means, the magnification is automatically converted so that the part of the main image has a predetermined size. The main image area is determined from the data obtained by measuring the enlarged image, and the image feature amount is detected.

When the main image is displayed around the monitor, the main image may deviate from the monitor screen when the magnification is enlarged. Therefore, after moving the original image so that the specified main image is almost in the center of the monitor screen,
The above-mentioned magnification conversion is performed.

The copy exposure amount is calculated by using the image feature amount of the main image area magnified and measured and, if necessary, other image feature amounts such as the average density of the entire screen obtained by photometry before enlargement, and the copy exposure amount. The exposure for reproducing the copied image is controlled according to the above.

Hereinafter, embodiments in which the present invention is applied to a photo printing apparatus will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows an example of a photographic printing apparatus embodying the present invention. White light emitted from the white light source 10 passes through a mixing box (diffusion box) 11 and a negative carrier 12 to reach a color original image, for example, a color negative film 13 set in a printing apparatus, and illuminates it from below. The color negative film 13 is pressed from above by a mask 14 which is operated by a solenoid (not shown) during photo printing. The negative carrier 12 is moved by the negative carrier moving device 15 so that the designated main image is centered on the monitor screen, and immediately before printing, the center of the color negative film 13 is returned to the initial position where the center of the color negative film 13 is aligned with the optical axis 16. .

Between the mixing box 11 and the white light source 10, a cyan filter 17 for adjusting the red component of the illumination light and a magenta filter 1 for adjusting the green component of the illumination light.
8 and a yellow filter 19 for adjusting the blue component
And are arranged. The filter adjustment unit 20 determines the filters 17 to 17 for each color according to the calculation result of the exposure amount calculation formula described later.
The insertion amount of 19 into the optical path is adjusted. For example, if the insertion amount of the cyan filter 17 is increased, the red component of the illumination light decreases, and the red exposure amount decreases.

A lens 24 is arranged above the color negative film 13 and a color negative image is formed on the color photographic paper 26 while the shutter 25 is opened. The shutter drive unit 27 opens the shutter 25 for a fixed time to give a standard exposure time. When the printing of one frame is completed, the exposed portion of the color photographic paper 26 is taken up by the take-up reel 28, and at the same time, the unexposed portion is pulled out from the supply reel 29.

The half mirror 32 is arranged to be inclined with respect to the optical axis 16, and the light reflected by the half mirror 32 reaches the half mirror 34 after passing through the zoom lens 33.
The zoom lens 33 is held by the lens barrel 35 and enlarges the main image to a predetermined size. The lens barrel 35 has a gear 35a provided on the outer periphery thereof meshed with a gear 36, and the gear 37 is driven by a motor 38 connected to a driver 37.

The light transmitted through the half mirror 34 enters the color image sensor 40, and the light reflected downward by the half mirror 34 enters the color TV camera 41. In this color image sensor 40, for example, one pixel measurement unit is configured by three types of adjacent photoelectric conversion units (red photoelectric conversion unit, green photoelectric conversion unit, blue photoelectric conversion unit), and a picture of about 1 mm size is formed. Simultaneous three-color resolution photometry of the element.

The three-color signal extracted from the image sensor 40 is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 42, then converted into a density signal by the logarithmic converter 43, and then converted into a density signal through the I / O port 44. It is taken into the computer 45. As is well known, the microcomputer 45 includes an I / O port 44, a CPU 46, a ROM 47, and an RO.
M48 and M48, which calculates the amount of exposure and controls each part described later. The keyboard 49 has keys for controlling each unit. The half mirror 3
In order to effectively use the light amount of the white light source 10, it is preferable to retract the light source 2 from the optical path when printing a photograph. Data corresponding to the magnification of the zoom lens 33 is written in the logarithmic converter 43.

The color TV camera 41 captures a color negative image and outputs a video signal. This video signal is converted into a positive image video signal by the negative / positive converter 52, and then,
It is sent to the controller 53. This controller 53
Displays a positive image 55 on the display surface of the color monitor 54 and sends the position information created from the synchronization signal to the position detector 56. The positive image 55 is observed, and a part of the image recognized as the main image is designated by the position specifying means, for example, the light pen 57. The light pen 57 photoelectrically converts the point designated on the color monitor 54 and sends it to the position detector 56. The position detector 56 sends the coordinate position on the color monitor 54 to the microcomputer 45 when a signal from the light pen 57 is generated. In addition to the light pen 57, a touch panel sensor, a joystick, a digitizer, a trackball, an XY cursor, or the like can be used as the position designating means.

FIG. 2 shows the procedure of exposure control, and the operation of the photographic printing apparatus of FIG. 1 will be briefly described with reference to this procedure. The color negative film 13 is transferred by a transfer means (not shown), and the frame to be printed is transferred to the negative carrier 12
Position on top of. Since the filter adjusting unit 20 holds the tip ends of the color filters 17 to 19 at the standard position in the optical path, part of the white light emitted from the white light source 10 is the color filter 17. Through ~ 19 and after being sufficiently diffused in the mixing box 11,
Reach color negative film 13. The light transmitted through the color negative film 13 is the lens 24 and the half mirror 3.
2, half mirror 3 through the zoom lens 33, respectively
It is incident on 4. The light transmitted through the half mirror 34 is
The light entering the color image sensor 40 and reflected by the half mirror 34 enters the color TV camera 41.

The color image sensor 40 scans a color negative image, measures the three color components of each pixel, and outputs a color signal of each pixel. This color signal is A / D converted and logarithmically converted, and then the RAM 4 of the microcomputer 45.
7 is stored in a state of being separated for each color. The video signal output from the color TV camera 41 is negative-positive converted, and then sent to the color monitor 54 via the controller 53, and a positive image is displayed on the display surface.

By observing the color monitor 54, a part of the portion recognized as the main image is designated by the light pen 57. The position designated by the light pen 57 is detected by the position detection unit 56, and the position information is input to the microcomputer 45.

The microcomputer 45 calculates the distance Δd from the center position of the color image sensor 40 to the designated position of the main image. Distance Δd from this center position
Is larger than a constant value L, the negative carrier moving device 15 moves the negative carrier 12 by Δd to bring the main image to the center position of the color image sensor 40 and the color monitor 54. In this example,
The negative carrier 12 is a one-dimensional movement, but it may be a two-dimensional movement. When Δd <L, the main image position associated with image enlargement may be estimated and used.

Next, using the density or color of the designated portion as a reference, the density or color of each pixel outside this is compared in order to determine whether they are the same or similar. Those that are the same or similar are determined to be pixels included in the main image area, and this determination data is written in an image area table (not shown).

It is determined whether the main image area thus obtained is equal to or larger than a predetermined size. This size determination can be performed depending on whether or not the number of pixels included in the main image area is a certain value or more. If the size of the main image area is equal to or smaller than the predetermined size, the motor 38 is driven to change the focal length of the zoom lens 33 to convert the magnification. This magnification conversion may be continuous or may be expanded stepwise, for example, by 4 times. The magnified image is measured again and the main image area is examined again by the procedure described above. As a simple method of magnification conversion, only one sufficiently large enlargement magnification may be possible.

When the main image area reaches a predetermined size, the image feature amount of the main image area, for example, the average density is obtained for each color from the density of the pixels belonging to this main image area. The exposure amount is calculated for each color using the thus obtained main image feature amount. The copy exposure amount may be calculated using the main image feature amount and other image feature amounts, for example, the image feature amount of a specific portion of the screen, the maximum value and the minimum value. Furthermore, from the first full-screen photometric result, the image feature amount of the entire screen, for example, the average density of the entire screen, is calculated, and the exposure amount is calculated using the average density of the entire screen and the main image feature amount obtained from the enlarged image May be.

The calculated exposure amount is sent to the filter adjusting unit 19, and the color filters of the corresponding color and the complementary color are extracted from the standard position into the step or further inserted toward the center of the optical path. As a result, the amount of the color filters 17 to 19 inserted into the optical path is adjusted stepwise, and the three-color light components of the printing light are adjusted. Then, the amount that cannot be completely corrected by the color filters 17 to 19 is sent to the shutter control unit 27 to appropriately increase or decrease the exposure time of the shutter 25.

When the print key of the keyboard 47 is operated, after the negative carrier 13 is returned to the initial position, the shutter 25 is opened for a fixed time and the color negative image is printed on the color photographic paper 26. After printing, the color photographic paper 26 and the color negative film 13 are fed by one frame. At the same time, the filter adjustment unit 19 causes the color filters 17-1 to 17-1.
Return 9 to the standard position of the optical path.

FIG. 3 shows an example of determining the main image area. When a part of the main image is designated, the same color density as this pixel is read from the RAM 47, whether adjacent pixels have the same color density as this pixel is compared, and the pixel having the same color density is extracted. If there is no pixel with the same color density,
The magnification of the zoom lens 33 is changed by a predetermined step. Then, after the photometry again, the adjacent pixels having the same color density are extracted. This procedure of magnification / photometry is repeated until at least one pixel having the same color density is extracted. The main image area is composed of designated pixels and extracted pixels of the same color density. The number of pixels having the same color density can be set to any value.

If the main image is extremely small, the portion specified by the light pen 57 will include other than the main image. In this case, if the color density of the designated pixel is used, the main image area cannot be correctly determined. Therefore, in the embodiment shown in FIG.
A key indicating the type of the main image, such as a person key, is provided and is operated to specify the type of the main image. The color density (reference color density) for these main images is RO
Since it is stored in M48, the reference color density is read from the ROM 48 when the type of the main image is designated. next,
When the position of the main image is designated by the light pen 57, it is determined whether or not the designated pixel or a pixel in the vicinity thereof has the same density as the reference color density. If it is determined that there is a difference in color density, the zoom lens 33 is enlarged by a predetermined number of steps and the same procedure is executed again.

In the above-described embodiment, the enlargement is automatically performed, but this may be manual. In this case, the keyboard 49 is operated to set the enlargement ratio to a desired value. As shown in FIG. 6, a label 62 indicating the minimum size of the main image is attached to the case 61 of the color monitor 60 as a reference for setting the magnification. The minimum size of the main image may be electrically displayed on the corner of the display surface 63.

In the case of this manual enlargement, immediately after the frame of the color negative film 13 is set, the average density of the entire screen is automatically measured. When the keyboard 49 is operated, the zoom lens 33 operates to enlarge the image to a desired size. The magnified image is displayed as a positive image on the color monitor 60, and the light pen 57 is used to specify a part of the main image by observing the image. After this designation, the computer 45 extracts the same color from the adjacent pixels and determines the main image area. The main image feature amount is calculated from the color densities of the pixels forming the main image area. In addition, light pen 5
The main image area may be directly specified by tracing the outline of the main image area in 7.

FIG. 5 shows a lens turret used in place of the zoom lens. The turret 65 is provided with lenses 66 to 69 having different focal lengths and is selected according to magnification conversion.

Although the above-mentioned embodiment is a color photographic printing apparatus, the present invention can be applied to a color negative inspection machine, a color copying machine, a laser color printer, a CRT color printer and the like.

〔The invention's effect〕

In the main image measuring device of the present invention, the designated main image is magnified and metered, so that the main image area can be accurately metered. Further, since the position of the main image can be designated after enlarging the main image, the designation of the main image is easy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a photographic printing apparatus embodying the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure of exposure control. 3 and 4 are flowcharts showing the procedure for automatically determining the enlargement ratio. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a lens turret. FIG. 6 is a front view showing a color monitor used for manually enlarging a main image. 10. White light source 13. Color negative film 26. Color photographic paper 32, 34. Half mirror 40. Color image sensor 41. Color TV camera 54. Color monitor 55 .. Positive image 57 .. Light pen 60 ... Color monitor 62 ... Label 65 ... Turret 66-69 ... Lens

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A main image measuring device comprising a photometric system for photometrically measuring each point of an original image and a monitor display system for picking up and displaying the original image on a monitor, wherein the main image measuring device measures a designated main image on the monitor. A main image characterized by providing a magnification conversion optical system for enlarging the light and an optical path splitting means for guiding light passing through the magnification conversion optical system to an image pickup device of a monitor display system and an image sensor of a photometry system. measuring device. 2. The main image measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the magnification conversion optical system is a zoom lens. 3. The main image measuring device according to claim 2, wherein the magnification conversion optical system is enlarged so that the number of pixels of a designated main image reaches a fixed number. 4. The main image measuring device according to claim 3, wherein the optical path splitting means is a half mirror. 5. A main image measuring device equipped with a photometric system for photometrically measuring each point of an original image, and a monitor display system for picking up and displaying the original image on a monitor, wherein the main image measuring device measures a main image designated on the monitor. Magnification conversion optical system to enlarge the desired size,
Optical path splitting means for guiding the light passing through the magnification conversion optical system to the image pickup device of the monitor display system and the image sensor of the photometric system, and a moving means for moving the original image so that the main image is almost at the center of the monitor. A main image measuring device characterized by being provided with. 6. The main image measuring device according to claim 5, wherein the magnification conversion optical system is a zoom lens. 7. The main image measuring device according to claim 6, wherein the magnification conversion optical system is enlarged so that the number of pixels of the designated main image reaches a fixed number.