JPH06289845A - Image composing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To easily compose an image of a gradational image and a title image. CONSTITUTION:The gradational image and title image which are inputted from input terminals 10 and 16 are converted into digital data, which are sent to frame memories 13-15 and a title memory 18 by a memory controller 3 and outputted through them by controlling their writing and reading on a time- division basis. The read data are put together by an image composing circuit 20 and displayed on a real-time monitor 23. The monitor 23 is observed and when the composition state is excellent, the gradational image and title image are written in the frame memories 13-15 and title memory 18. For printing, the gradational image read out of the frame memories 13 and 15 and the title image read out of the title memory 18 are put together and the composite image is printed on thermal recording paper 34.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image synthesizing method for synthesizing a title image with a gradation image.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a video printer, for example, a thermal printer, a gradation image is combined with a title image such as a title name and a shooting date, and the combined image is thermally recorded. As a general method of image composition, a gradation image memory and a title memory are used, and gradation image data input from an electronic still camera or a scanner is written in the gradation image memory. Next, the title image is shot by a video camera or the like, and the video signal is input to the video printer. When the freeze button is operated at an arbitrary time, the video signal of the title image sent from the video camera is sent to the binarization circuit and converted into 1-bit title data. This title data is written in the title memory.

After writing the data, two memories are read out at the same time, and if the same pixel has title data, the selector preferentially takes out the title data,
Send to monitor system. If there is no title data,
Take out the gradation image data. Check the composite image displayed on the monitor. If the combined state is inappropriate, the title image is captured again, and the title image is frozen, and then the combined state is confirmed on the monitor. When the desired composite image is adjusted by repeating this adjustment, the composite image is printed.

[0004]

However, in the above method, when the position of the title is improper or the threshold level is too high and a part of the title image is missing, the desired composite image is obtained. Until then, you have to adjust the composition, lighting, threshold level, etc. each time you press the freeze button, which is very troublesome, and it takes a long time to insert the title. It was

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image synthesizing method capable of easily adjusting the synthesizing state of a gradation image and a title image.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention synthesizes a title image from a title image input means into a gradation image and displays it on a monitor, and by observing the monitor, The title image is frozen in the title memory when the combination of the toned image and the title image is found to be good. In this way, the operation is easy because it is necessary to freeze only when the monitor is observed and the combined state becomes good.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows a thermal printer embodying the present invention. A still video player is connected to the input terminal 10, and a video signal of a gradation image is input to the input terminal 10.
Are input to the RGB demodulation circuit 11 via the A / D converter 12 and separated into a red signal, a green signal, and a blue signal.
At, each color signal is sampled for each pixel and then digitally converted. Red tone image data of each pixel obtained,
The green gradation image data and the blue gradation image data are sent to the red frame memory 13, the green frame memo 14, and the blue frame memory 15, respectively.

On the original 5, title images such as phrases and dates for explaining the contents of the gradation images are drawn. The original 5 is shot by the video camera 6 and the input terminal 16
Is input to the binarization circuit 17 via. The binarization circuit 17 compares the video signal of each pixel of the title image with the threshold value and converts the title data into 1 bit, and the title data is sent to the title memory 18. The threshold value can be adjusted from the keyboard 2 via the microcomputer 1.

The microcomputer 1 controls the memory controller 3 when writing data to and reading data from the frame memories 13 to 15 and the title memory 18.
This memory controller 3, when writing the gradation image,
Write the gradation image data in the frame memory. Also, when writing the title image, the title data is written in the title memory 18. This memory controller 3 is
Performs through output operation and freeze operation.

In the through output operation, the memory controller 3 writes and reads the memory in a time division manner. In the freeze operation, the memory controller 3 prohibits writing of a new frame in the frame memories 13 to 15 and the title memory 18.

At the time of monitor or printing, the title data read from the title memory 18 is the color designation circuit 1.
Sent to 9. The color of the title image can be designated as an arbitrary color by operating the keyboard 2. The color designation signal input from the keyboard 2 is sent to the color designation circuit 19 via the microcomputer 1. When there is title data, the color designating circuit 19 outputs 8-bit title image data corresponding to the designated title color. This title image data and frame memory 1
The gradation image data read from 3 to 15 are sent to the image composition circuit 20 and the image composition circuit 30.

The synthesizing circuits 20 and 30 judge the presence / absence of the title image data input. If the title image data is not input, the gradation image data is taken out, and the monitor system D /
It is sent to the A converter 21 and the image processing circuit 31 of the print system.
When the title image data is input, the title image data is extracted instead of the gradation image data.

The monitor system includes the D / A converter 21. It is composed of a monitor driver 22 and a monitor 23 such as a CRT, and displays a composite image on the monitor 23. This monitor 23
By observing, it is possible to know the combined state of the title image and the gradation image and whether the color of the title image is proper.

The image processing circuit 31 of the print system carries out a masking process using the image data of the three colors and converts it into gradation image data of yellow, cyan and magenta. Of the image data of the three colors, only the color to be printed, for example, yellow image data is extracted and sent to the head driver 32. The thermal head 33 has a large number of heating elements formed in a line, and selectively drives each heating element in accordance with image data to thermally record a yellow image on the thermal recording paper 34 line by line. The heat-sensitive recording paper 34 is heat-recorded in three-color frame order by using optical fixing together.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The video signal of the gradation image reproduced by the still video player is the RGB demodulation circuit 11, A /
The signal is converted through the D converter 12 and then sent to the frame memories 13 to 15 as 8-bit gradation image data. The keyboard 2 is operated to issue a through output operation instruction to the memory controller 3 via the microcomputer 1. In this through output operation, the memories 13 to 15
Are written and read in time division. As is well known, the memory controller 21 generates an address signal from a synchronization signal and writes or reads gradation image data at the address.

During the read cycle of the frame memories 13 to 15, the gradation image data for one line is read out for each pixel and sent to the image synthesizing circuit 20. Image synthesis circuit 2
Since 0 has no title data input, the gradation image data is sent to the monitor system, converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 21, and then sent to the monitor driver 22. The monitor driver 22 displays only the gradation image on the monitor 23.

By operating the still video player to move frames, a gradation image to be printed is selected as shown in FIG. 2 (a).

When the title image is input, the memory controller 3 is switched to the through output operation. The title image signal is converted by the binarization circuit 18 into 1-bit title data and then sent to the title memory 18. The memory controller 3 specifies an address in the title memory 18 and alternately performs writing and reading. The title image signal may be added with a control word for indicating that it is a title image, and the image type may be identified by this.

After writing the title image or before writing the title image, the keyboard 2 is operated to specify the color of the title image. This color designation is sent to the color designation circuit 19 via the microcomputer 1. Further, it may be possible to instruct to invert the title image.

The memory controller 3 continuously reads the title data for one line from the title memory 18 pixel by pixel and sends it to the color designation circuit 19. Color designation circuit 19
Sends 8-bit title image data to the image synthesizing circuit 20 only when there is title data. That is, title image data is created for the pixel in which the title is embedded.

The image synthesizing circuit 20 selects one of the gradation image data read from the frame memories 13 to 15 and the title image data output from the color designating circuit 19 depending on whether the title image data is input or not. By doing so, the gradation image and the title image are combined.

The image data of the composite image is sent to the monitor system, and the composite image of the gradation image and the title image is displayed on the monitor 23.
Is displayed in. The composite image displayed on the monitor 23 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), when the face of the person in the gradation image and the characters in the title image overlap, the original 5 or the video camera 6 is moved to display the title image as shown in FIG. 2 (c). Moving. Furthermore, while observing the monitor 23,
The state of illumination of the title image or the keyboard 2 is operated to adjust the threshold value to adjust the state of the title image.

After confirming the combined state of the images on the monitor 23, the keyboard 2 is operated to instruct the freeze. Since the memory controller 3 prohibits writing of a new frame in the frame memories 13 to 15 and the title memory 18, the gradation image and the title image which are properly combined are stored in these memories. If a print instruction is given, the gradation image data for one line is read from the frame memories 13 to 15 for each pixel and sent to the image synthesizing circuit 30. One line of title data is read out from the title memory 18 for each pixel and sent to the color designating circuit 19. The color designating circuit 19 converts the 8-bit title image data into the image synthesizing circuit 3 only when there is title data.
Send to 0.

Then, in the image synthesizing 30, the images are synthesized in the same state as in the monitor. The image data of this composite image is subjected to masking processing and color conversion processing in the image processing circuit 31, then yellow image data is taken out and sent to the head driver 32. The head driver 32 drives the thermal head 33 to thermally record the yellow image line by line on the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer of the thermosensitive recording paper 34. After thermal recording of the yellow image, the thermal recording paper 34 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays of 420 nm to fix the yellow thermal coloring layer.

After the thermal recording of the yellow image, the platen drum makes one revolution and the thermal recording paper 34 is reheated.
At the position of 3, the thermal recording of the magenta image is started. Even in the thermal recording of this magenta image, the frame memory 1
Image data is read line by line from 3 to 15.
The image processing circuit 31 sends magenta image data to the head driver 32 to drive the thermal head 33. The thermal head 33 thermally records a magenta image line by line on the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer of the thermosensitive recording 31. After thermal recording of the magenta image, the thermosensitive recording paper 34 is irradiated with ultraviolet rays of 365 nm to fix the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer.

After thermal recording of the magenta image, a cyan image is thermally recorded on the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer of the thermosensitive recording paper 34 line by line. No optical fixing is performed on the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which the memory is bypassed at the time of monitoring, and the same components as those in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, the gradation image data from the A / D converter 12 is sent to the frame memories 13 to 15 as well as the image synthesizing circuit 20.
It will be sent directly to. Similarly, the title data from the binarization circuit 17 is sent to the selector 37 in addition to the title memory 18.

At the time of monitoring, the gradation image data bypasses the frame memories 13 to 15 and is sent to the image synthesizing circuit 20. On the other hand, the title data is the title memory 18
Is bypassed and sent to the color designation circuit 19 via the selector 37.

When freeze is designated, the gradation image data is written in the frame memories 13 to 15, and the title data is written in the title memory 18. At the time of printing, the frame memories 13 to 15 and the title memory 18 are simultaneously read.

The above-mentioned embodiment is a thermal recording type,
The present invention can also be applied to a thermal transfer type using an ink film. Further, in order to continuously create a plurality of hard copies, it is preferable to provide a plurality of image memories and title memories.

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, the gradation image is combined with the title image from the title image input means and displayed on the monitor, and by observing the monitor, When the composition of the gradation image and the title image is recognized to be good, the title image is frozen in the title memory, so that the composite image is displayed on the monitor in real time, composition, lighting, threshold level, etc. Since the adjustment can be done while looking at the monitor, the adjustment time is short, and only one freeze operation is required, and title composition is extremely easy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a thermal printer embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a process of combining a gradation image and a title image.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a thermal printer of another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 memory controller 13 red frame memory 14 green frame memory 15 blue frame memory 17 binarization circuit 18 title memory 20, 30 image composition circuit 23 monitor

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A title image from a title image input means is combined with a gradation image and displayed on a monitor. By observing the monitor, it is recognized that the combination of the gradation image and the title image is good. An image synthesizing method characterized in that a title image is frozen in a title memory when being read.