JPH06334952A - Video printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the battery consumption of a video camera by simple operation by sending a power supply OFF command to the video camera while interlocking with the printing starting operation of a video printer, and at the time of completing the printing operation, sending a power supply ON command. CONSTITUTION:The video printer 10 is provided with a control part 39 for generating a power supply ON command for turning on the power supply for the video camera and a power supply OFF command for turning off the power supply. In the case of printing out a picture by the printer 10 after completing picture recording, the video camera 12 is connected to the printer 10, and when a normal reproducing mode is selected by depressing a monitor switching key 39a, a normal reproducing command is sent from the control part 39 to a control part 22 included in the camera 12 and the power supply is turned on. When a print key 39c is depressed after specifying a picture to be printed out and the number of prints, a power supply OFF command is sent from the control part 39 to the control part 22, and after completing the printing operation, a power supply ON command is sent.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video print system for controlling ON / OFF of a power source of a video camera from a video printer side.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In order to output a hard copy with a video printer, an 8 mm video camera having a reproducing function is connected to the hard copy. After turning on both power supplies, operate the 8 mm video camera to set the normal playback mode and observe the monitor of the video printer. When the scene you want to print appears on the monitor, switch to the frame-by-frame playback mode and find the optimal frame by frame by frame. Next, the memory (freeze) key of the video printer is pressed to capture the video signal of the frame. After inputting the number of prints, operate the print key to start printing. After the printing is completed, the 8 mm video camera is operated again, the normal reproduction mode is set, or the frame is advanced, and the frame to be printed next is found.

[0003]

By the way, it takes about 1 to 2 minutes from the operation of the print key to the actual output of one hard copy. During this time,
The 8 mm video camera is operational. Portable video cameras, such as 8 mm video cameras, are designed to operate on a battery, and the battery mounted on the camera is wasted while the hard copy is output. This becomes more remarkable when the number of prints is large.
In order to eliminate such waste of battery, it is necessary to turn off the power of the video camera each time, and the operation is extremely troublesome.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a video printing system capable of reducing the battery consumption of a video camera with a simple operation.

[0005]

According to the video printing system of the present invention, the power of the video camera is turned on.
The video printer is provided with means for generating a command and a power-off command for turning off, and a power-off command is transmitted from the video printer to the video camera at the end of printing in synchronization with a print start operation of the video printer. It was done like this.

[0006]

The power off command is transmitted from the video printer to the video camera in conjunction with the print operation, and the video camera is automatically stopped. Therefore, the battery consumption of the video camera can be saved without trouble. . Further, after the output of the print is completed, a power ON command is transmitted from the video printer to the video camera, and the video camera is automatically activated.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 2, a video printer 10 according to the present invention is provided with an external video input terminal 11 which is connected to an external video output terminal 13 of a video camera 12. It Further, external control input / output terminals 14 and 15 provided in the video printer 10 and the video camera 12 are also connected.

The video camera 12 is a well-known video tape recorder conforming to the 8 mm standard integrated with a camera. , Servo 20, tape running mechanism section 21, and control section 2 for controlling these in a centralized manner
2, the operation unit 23, and the like. As is well known, each of these units is driven by a battery.

The image pickup section 16 photographs the scene, A / D-converts the blue signal (B), the green signal (G), and the red signal (R) signal for one field, and then the recording system signal processing section 1
Send to 7. The recording system signal processing unit 17 encodes the B, G, and R primary color signals to convert them into a luminance signal (Y) and a color signal (C), and then converts the luminance signal (Y) into an FM signal. , And the color signal (C) is converted into a low frequency and then mixed. This mixed video signal is
Recording is performed in the video track area of the 8 mm video tape 26 by the two R / P heads 24 and 25 provided on the cylinder 18. Further, the recording-system signal processing unit 17 performs PCM conversion on the audio signal input from the microphone or the like, time-compresses it, and R
Recording on the 8 mm video tape 26 with the / P heads 24 and 25.

The servo 20 is an automatic control circuit for accurately controlling the rotation of the cylinder 18 and the feeding of the tape. The tape running mechanism 21 is an automatic control mechanism for always maintaining tracking, and controls tape running through the rotation of the capstan. The reproduction system signal processing unit 18 encodes the video signal picked up by the R / P heads 24 and 25 during reproduction of the video tape 26, and
The signal is output to the external video output terminal 13 as a signal. In the frame-by-frame reproduction mode, the video signal is digitally converted and then written in the video RAM. The video signal is repeatedly read from the video RAM, D / A converted, and then output to the external video output terminal 13.

NT sent from the external video output terminal 13
The SC signal is the external image input terminal 1 of the video printer 10.
It is taken into the Y / C separation circuit 35 via 1. Y / C
The separation circuit 35 separates the NTSC signal into a luminance signal (Y) and a chrominance signal (C), and sends them to the decoder 36. Decoder 3
Reference numeral 6 converts the luminance signal (Y) and the color signal (C) into three primary color signals of yellow, magenta and cyan, and the A / D converter 3
7 and the selector 41.

The selector 41 is set to the terminal (a) side in the normal reconstruction mode, and is set to the terminal (b) in the freeze mode.
Set to the side. When the selector 41 is set to the terminal (a) side, the image data is sent to the external video output terminal 48 via the encoder 47, and the video image being reproduced is displayed on the monitor 49 connected thereto. In the freeze mode, the color signal of each color is quantized by the A / D converter 37 and converted into a digital signal of 64 gradations,
It is written in the frame memory 38. Then, this image data is reproduced on the monitor 49 via the D / A converter 46 and the selector 41 set on the terminal (b) side. The frame memory 38 is composed of three memory units that store three-color image data independently one field at a time.

The frame memory 38 is read out under the control of the control unit 39 at the time of printing, and the image data of one of the three colors is read line by line. The read image data is subjected to color correction, gradation correction, and interpolation processing in the image processing unit 40, then written once in the line memory 42, and then read out.
Sent to 3. The head drive unit 43 drives the thermal head 44 based on the image data for one line. As is well known, the thermal head 44 has a large number of heating elements arranged in a line in the main scanning direction, and heats the thermal recording paper 45 to perform three-color sequential recording. The thermosensitive recording paper 45 is provided with cyan, magenta, and yellow thermosensitive coloring layers in sequence. After thermal recording of one color, optical fixing is performed by irradiation of an ultraviolet lamp (not shown) corresponding to the thermosensitive coloring layer of this color, and then,
The next color is heat recorded.

The control unit 39 of the video printer 10 is provided with a monitor switching key 39a, a memory key 39b, a print key 39c, and a frame advance key 39d. Each time the monitor switch key 39a is pressed, the video camera 12
Playback method is normal playback mode, and the image on the monitor screen is 1
Alternately switches the frame-by-frame playback mode, in which each frame is displayed. In this frame-by-frame playback mode, frame-by-frame key 3
Each time 9d is pressed, one frame is displayed.

If the monitor switching key 39a is operated while the power of the video camera 12 is off, the control unit 3
A power-on command is sent from 9 to the external control output terminal 15. This power ON command is fetched by the control unit 22 of the video camera 12 via the external control input terminal 14. When the power-on command is input, the control unit 22 turns on the power of the video camera 12 and then puts the video camera 12 into the reproduction state.

When the memory key 39b is operated, the image data of one frame at that time is written in the frame memory 38. The video image written in the frame memory 38 can be confirmed on the monitor 49 as described above. When the print key 39c is pressed, the thermal head 44 is driven and a desired video image is printed on the thermal recording paper 45.

In association with the operation of the print key 39c, the control section 39 sends a power OFF command via the external control output terminals 14 and 15 to the control section 22 of the video camera 12.
Send to. When the power-off command is input, the control unit 22 suspends the reproduction of the 8 mm video tape 26 and then turns off the power.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described.
When recording a scene, the operation unit 2 of the video camera 12
Operate 3 to enter the recording standby state. As a result, the scene is imaged by the imaging unit 16 through the taking lens 54,
The three colors B, G, and R thus obtained are sent to the recording system signal processor 17. The recording system signal processing unit 17 encodes the B, G, and R primary color signals and converts them into a luminance signal (Y) and a color signal (C). The brightness signal (Y) is sent to the liquid crystal finder 55.

The photographer, looking at the viewfinder 55,
The subject is framed, and the operation unit 23 is operated to start recording. When recording is started, the recording-system signal processing unit 17 converts the luminance signal (Y) into an FM signal and the color signal (C) into a low frequency band, and then mixes them. At the same time, the tape running mechanism 21 runs the video tape 27, and the servo 20 rotates the cylinder 18. The video signal and the audio signal modulated by the cylinder 18 are the video tape 2
Recorded in 6.

When the video printer 10 prints after recording, the external video input / output terminals 11 and 13 and the external control input / output terminals 14 and 15 of the video camera 12 and the video printer 10 are connected to each other. ,
A monitor 49 is connected to the external image output terminal 48 of the video printer 10.

Next, the monitor switching key 39a is operated to select the normal reproduction mode. At this time, even if the video camera 12 is stopped, a normal reproduction command is sent from the control unit 39 to the control unit 22 of the video camera 12 and the power is turned off.
N, and set to the normal playback mode. As a result, the video signals picked up by the R / P heads 24 and 25 are encoded by the reproduction system signal processing unit 19,
It is output to the external video output terminal 13 as an NTSC signal.

This NTSC signal is sent to the video printer 10
Is taken into the Y / C separation circuit 35 via the external video input terminal 11 and is separated into a luminance signal (Y) and a color signal (C). These luminance signal (Y) and color signal (C)
Are converted into three primary color signals of yellow, magenta and cyan by the decoder 36. The three primary color signals are sent to the A / D converter 37 and the selector 41. Since the selector 41 is set to the terminal (a) in the normal reproduction mode, the three primary color signals are sent to the encoder 47 and the external video output terminal 4
It is displayed as a reproduced image on the monitor 49 via the display device 8.

Next, while checking the image on the monitor 49,
When a scene to be printed appears, the monitor switching key 39a is operated to switch to the frame advance reproduction mode, and the frame advance key 39d is operated to reproduce the frames one by one. When the desired image is displayed, the memory key 39b is operated. As a result, the control unit 39 causes the A / D converter 37
Frame memory 3 for quantized digital signal
8, the selector 41 is switched to the terminal (b) side, and the image to be printed is displayed on the monitor 49.

After the number of prints is designated by operating the number of sheets setting key (not shown), the print key 39c is operated. When the print key 39c is pressed, the power is turned off
A command is sent from the control unit 39 to the control unit 2 of the video camera 12.
2 and the power of the video camera 12 is turned off. As a result, consumption of the battery mounted on the video camera 12 is prevented. At the time of printing, the image data of one color is read line by line from the frame memory 38,
The image processing section 40 performs color correction, gradation correction, and interpolation processing, and then writes the line memory 42. Image data is read from the line memory 42 under the control of the controller 39 and sent to the head driver 43. The head drive unit 43 drives the thermal head 44 based on the image data for one line.

When the yellow image data for one line is supplied, the thermal head 44 is first driven to heat the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer of the color thermosensitive recording paper 45 to record the yellow image line by line. The portion on which the yellow image is recorded is irradiated with ultraviolet rays of a predetermined wavelength by a yellow ultraviolet lamp to be optically fixed.

After the optical fixing of the recording of the yellow image, the color thermosensitive recording paper 45 faces the thermal head 44 and the thermal recording of the magenta image is started. As a result, the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer of the color thermosensitive recording paper 45 is thermally recorded line by line, and after the recording is completed, it is optically fixed by the magenta ultraviolet lamp. Finally, the cyan thermosensitive coloring layer of the color thermosensitive recording paper 45 is thermally recorded line by line with the cyan image data.

When the three-color sequential recording is completed, the color thermosensitive recording material 45 is sent out and discharged as a hard copy 45a from the discharge port 53 onto the tray 54. When the number of prints is plural, three-color frame sequential recording is repeated as many times as necessary.

After the predetermined number of hard copies 45a are ejected, a power ON command is sent from the control unit 39 to the control unit 22 of the video camera 12. After the power of the video camera 12 is turned on, the video tape 2 is set in the normal playback mode.
The reproduction of No. 6 is restarted, and the reproduced image is displayed on the monitor 49. The power ON command is sent by operating the monitor switching key 39a even during printing, and the video camera 12 is returned to the reproduction state. Also, memory key 3
When operating 9b, the video camera 12 may be turned off.

In the above embodiment, the wired system for sending the control command through the cable or the like is used, but a wireless device such as an infrared remote controller may be used instead of the cable. Regarding the control method of memory operation and print operation,
For example, by selecting a desired frame in advance and recording a printer control signal such as a memory command or a print command on a PCM audio track of an 8 mm video tape, and reproducing the 8 mm video camera, the video printer automatically operates. Alternatively, the memory and print operations may be executed. Then, after the video printer starts printing, a power OFF command is sent from the printer to the video camera, and a power ON command is sent after the printing operation is completed, as in the above embodiment.

Further, the frame advance reproduction mode may be omitted and only the normal reproduction mode may be used. In this case, the frame at the moment when the memory key 39b is operated is stored in the frame memory 38
Freezes. Further, instead of the video camera, a still video camera which records a still image on a magnetic disk or an IC memory card can be used. An image for which frame recording is performed by this still video camera does not require conversion processing from a field image to a frame image.

In the embodiments described above, the video printer for recording an image on the color thermosensitive recording paper on which the thermosensitive coloring layer is laminated has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and, for example, an ink sheet is used. A sublimation type thermal transfer recording type thermal printer or the like may be used. Further, although the line printer has been described, the present invention can also be applied to a serial printer.

[0032]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, since the power supply of the video camera is automatically turned on / off from the video printer side, both the video camera and the video printer are operated. The battery consumption of the video camera can be saved without any hassle.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a print output procedure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a state in which a video printer and a video camera are connected.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Video Printer 12 Video Camera 38 Frame Memory 39a Monitor Switching Key 39b Memory Key 39c Print Key 39d Frame Advance Key 41 Selector 44 Thermal Head 45 Color Thermal Recording Paper

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A video printing system in which a video camera and a video printer are connected to each other, and a video signal output from the video camera being played back is taken into the video printer to create a hard copy.
The video printer is provided with means for generating a power ON command for turning on N and a power OFF command for turning off, and a power OFF command is linked with a print start operation of the video printer, and a power ON command at the end of printing. The video printing system is characterized by sending from a video camera to a video camera.