JPH08279973A - Picture printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain a picture printer capable of executing picture printing at accurate time without a loss in the quality of a picture based upon a video signal by comparatively simple processing applied from the external. CONSTITUTION: A comment inserting part 11 receives time information and a comment insertion control signal, recognizes time corresponding to timing indicated by the comment insertion control signal, generates time display information to be character information expressing the time, and outputs the generated information to a digital signal processing part 14. The processing part 14 outputs composite printing data to a picture printing part 5 so that a picture based upon an RGB digital signal and time based upon the time display information are not mutually overlapped and the picture printing part 5 prints out a prescribed picture based upon the printing data on printing paper.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image printer for printing an image based on a video signal.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the internal structure of a conventional image printer. In the figure, a video signal processing unit 1 performs AGC, luminance signal / color signal separation, etc. on an input video signal. The RGB signal is output to the analog / digital signal converter 2.

The analog / digital signal conversion section 2 converts the RGB signal, which is an analog signal, into a digital signal and outputs the RGB digital signal to the video signal memory section 3, and the video signal memory section 3 stores the RGB digital signal.

The digital signal processing section 4 takes in RGB digital signals from the video signal memory section 3 and outputs the RGB digital signals.
The digital signal is converted into print data and output to the image printing unit 5.

The image printing section 5 prints an image based on the print data obtained from the digital signal processing section 4 on a print sheet.

The memory / print control unit 6 controls the operations of the video signal memory unit 3, the digital signal processing unit 4 and the image printing unit 5, and the system control unit 7 controls the video signal processing unit 1 and the analog / digital signal conversion unit. 2 controls the operation, and gives an instruction of control contents to the memory / print control unit 6.

The external control I / F unit 8 exchanges with a control signal external to the device through a switch, a remote controller, an RS-1232C, or the like to give a control signal external to the device to the system control unit 7. , And outputs the control signal from the system control unit 7 to the outside.

An image print command for storing an RGB digital signal in the video signal memory unit 3 and instructing the image print process by the image print unit 5 to execute an image print process is externally applied to the external control I / F unit 8 and the system. It is given to the memory / printing unit 6 via the control unit 7, and thereafter, the video signal is stored in the video signal memory unit 3 under the control of the memory / printing control unit 6 based on the image print command, and the digital signal processing unit 4 is provided. The conversion processing to the print data by the, and the image printing processing by the image printing unit 5 are controlled.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a system for storing a video signal at regular time intervals using a conventional image printer and printing the stored time information including date and time together with an image.

The external time measuring unit 22 measures time and outputs time information defining the date and time to the date / time information inserting unit 21 and the external control unit 23. The external control unit 23 sends an image print command to the RS-232C based on the time information.
The date / time information insertion unit 21, which is sent to the external control I / F unit 8 via the etc., superimposes or imposes character information expressing the time defined by the time information on the video signal to obtain the date / time information. The attached video signal is output to the video signal processing unit 1.

In the image printing system having the above-described structure, the date / time information inserting section 11 has the time information of the time measuring section 9 superimposed on the video signal, and the video signal with the date / time information outputs the video signal processing section 1. Sent to the external control unit 23
Based on the image print command obtained from the above, the image is directly stored under the control of the memory / print control unit 6 at regular time intervals, and the image based on the stored image is printed.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the image print, in which the image 31 on which the image 31 is printed on the print paper 30 is inserted with the time information 32 including date and time.

[0013]

Since the conventional image printer is constructed as described above, it has the following problems.

When printing images at regular intervals,
Since it is necessary to give an image print command from the external control unit 23 at regular time intervals, the process becomes complicated. Further, since the image print command is given from the outside, transmission of the image print command is delayed, and accurate image printing can be performed in time. Can not.

Since it is necessary to impose time information consisting of date and time on the video signal, the processing becomes complicated due to the processing of the video signal and the information of the video signal of the portion where the time information is imposed Will be lost.

The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and the processing given from the outside is relatively simple, without deteriorating the quality of the image based on the video signal.
An object of the present invention is to obtain an image printer capable of performing accurate image printing on time.

[0017]

An image printer according to a first aspect of the present invention receives a video signal and the time information, and a time measuring means for measuring time and outputting time information defining the time. And a time control image printing means for printing an image based on the video signal at a predetermined timing based on the time information.

According to another aspect of the image printer of the present invention, the time control image printing means receives the time information, and based on the time information, outputs a video storage control signal for instructing a timing for storing the video signal. Control means for outputting, video signal storage means for receiving the video signal and storing the video signal at a timing instructed by the video storage control signal, receiving the time information and the video storage control signal, and controlling the video storage control. Time display information output means for recognizing the time corresponding to the timing indicated by the signal and outputting time display information which is character information expressing the time, and a stored image which is a video signal stored in the video signal storage means. A signal and the time display information are received, and an image based on the stored video signal and the time represented by the time display information are displayed on a predetermined print sheet. It may be constituted by a printing means for lint.

Further, as in the image printer according to the third aspect, the time control image printing means receives the time information, and based on the time information, outputs a video storage control signal for instructing a timing for storing the video signal. Control means for sequentially outputting at a predetermined time interval and outputting a divided image control signal for instructing the number N of divided images, and for receiving the video signal, the video storage control signal and the split image control signal, the video storage control signal And a video signal storage means for storing the video signals for N screens compressed to 1 / N by compressing the video signals to 1 / N and storing them sequentially at the predetermined time interval. And a print means for printing an image based on the stored video signal, which is the video signal stored in the video signal storage means, on a predetermined print paper. .

Further, as in the image printer according to claim 4, the control means further outputs time interval information defining the predetermined time interval, and the time control image printing means is operable to output the time information and the time. One of N video signals stored in the video signal storage means, which receives the interval information, the divided image control signal, and the video storage control signal, and is compressed and stored in the video signal storage means based on the divided image control signal and the video storage control signal. The time display information output means for recognizing the time when the video signal of is stored and outputting time display information which is character information expressing the time and the predetermined time interval may be further provided, and the printing means Further configured to receive the time display information and print an image based on the stored video signal and a time represented by the time display information on a predetermined print sheet. It may be.

Further, in the image printer according to the fifth aspect, the printing means prints the image based on the stored video signal and the time represented by the time display information on the predetermined print paper without overlapping each other. It may be configured to print.

[0022]

The image printer according to the first aspect of the present invention has the time measuring means for measuring the time and outputting the time information defining the time. Therefore, the time information can be obtained without obtaining the information on the time from the outside. The received time-controlled image printing means can automatically print an image based on the video signal at a predetermined timing. Further, the processing will not be delayed due to the transmission delay of the information about the time obtained from the outside.

Further, the time control image printing means in the image printer according to the second aspect recognizes the time corresponding to the timing indicated by the video storage control signal and outputs the time display information which is character information expressing the time. The time when the video signal is stored in the video storage means, since the time display information output means and the printing means for printing the image based on the stored video signal and the time represented by the time display information on a predetermined print paper are provided. Can be printed with the image.

Further, the time-controlled image printing means in the image printer according to the third aspect of the invention outputs the video signal at a predetermined time interval at the timing indicated by the video storage control signal.
Since the image signal storage means for storing the N-screen compressed video signal by compressing to N and sequentially storing it is provided, the printing means simultaneously prints N-screen images onto a predetermined print paper. Can be printed.

The time control image printing means in the image printer according to claim 4 is one of the N video signals compressed and stored in the video signal storage means based on the divided image control signal and the video storage control signal. Of the video signal is stored, and time display information output means for outputting time display information which is character information expressing the time and a predetermined time interval is further provided, and the printing means is based on the stored video signal. In order to print the image and the time represented by the time display information on a predetermined print sheet, the time when one of the N video signals is stored in the video storage means and the N video signals are stored in the video storage means. The time information consisting of the time intervals stored in the means can be printed with the image.

Further, the printing means in the image printer according to the fifth aspect prints the image based on the stored video signal and the time based on the time display information on a predetermined print paper without overlapping each other. The time based on the time display information can be printed together with the image without impairing the quality of the image.

[0027]

【Example】

<First Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the internal arrangement of an image printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. An RGB signal obtained by performing AGC, luminance signal / color signal separation, and the like on the video signal is output to the analog / digital signal conversion unit 2.

The analog / digital signal conversion unit 2 converts the RGB signal, which is an analog signal, into a digital signal and outputs the RGB digital signal to the video signal memory unit 3.

The time measuring unit 9 measures a time consisting of a date / time, and outputs time information consisting of a digital signal defining the time to the system control unit 17 and the comment inserting unit 11.
Output to.

The system control unit 17 is an I / F for external control.
A control signal can be sent / received to / from the outside via the unit 8, and print time information indicating a time interval for image printing is received as a control signal from the outside, and time information is received from the time measuring unit 9.

Then, the system control unit 17 sends a video storage control signal for instructing the timing of storing the video signal as an RGB digital signal in the video signal memory unit 3 based on the time information and the print time information, to the comment control unit 10.
And to the memory / print controller 16.

The comment control unit 10 receives the video storage control signal and outputs a comment insertion control signal to the comment insertion unit 11, which indicates the timing for inserting the comment based on the video storage control signal.

The comment insertion section 11 receives the time information and the comment insertion control signal, recognizes the time corresponding to the timing indicated by the comment insertion control signal, and generates time display information which is character information expressing the time. And outputs it to the digital signal processing unit 14.

The memory / print control unit 16 receives the video storage control signal, and based on the video storage control signal, sends the RGB digital signal storage control signal indicating the timing at which the video signal memory unit 3 stores the RGB digital signal to the video signal. Output to the memory unit 3. The memory / print control unit 16 also controls the operations of the digital signal processing unit 14 and the image printing unit 5 based on the video storage control signal.

The video signal memory unit 3 receives the RGB digital signal storage control signal and stores the RGB digital signal at the timing indicated by the RGB digital signal storage control signal.

Under control of the memory / print control section 16, the digital signal processing section 14 takes in the RGB digital signal stored in the video signal memory section 3 and the time display information output from the comment inserting section 11, and converts it into an RGB digital signal. The print data combined so that the image based on the time and the time based on the time display information are printed without overlapping with each other is output to the image printing unit 5.

The image print section 5 prints an image based on the print data on a print sheet under the control of the memory / print control section 16.

In such a configuration, the system control unit 17 obtains from the time measuring unit 9 when the print time information indicating the time interval for image printing is externally fetched via the external control I / F unit 8. The comment control unit 1 sends the video storage control signal based on the time information and the print time information.
0 and the memory / print control unit 16.

Upon receipt of the video storage control signal, the memory / print control section 16 outputs the RGB digital signal storage control signal to the video signal memory section 3 on the basis of the video storage control signal, so that the RGB digital signal storage control signal is instructed. The RGB digital signal is stored in the video signal memory unit 3 at the timing of

On the other hand, the comment control unit 10 receiving the video storage control signal outputs a comment insertion control signal to the comment insertion unit 11 based on the video storage control signal,
The comment insertion unit 11 recognizes the time corresponding to the timing indicated by the comment insertion control signal, generates time display information expressing the time, and outputs it to the digital signal processing unit 14.

Thereafter, under the control of the memory / print control section 16, the digital signal processing section 14 takes in the RGB digital signal and the time display information stored in the video signal memory section 3, and the image and the time based on the RGB digital signal. The print data combined so that the time based on the display information is printed without overlapping with each other is output to the image printing unit 5.

Then, under the control of the memory / print control unit 16, the image print unit 5 prints an image based on the print data on a print sheet. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the image 31 and the time information (date / time) 32 are printed on the print paper 30 without overlapping each other.

As described above, since the image printer of the first embodiment incorporates the time measuring unit 9, it only needs to receive the print time information indicating the time interval for image printing from the outside once, and thereafter the print time is internally generated. Images can be automatically printed at time intervals indicated by the information. Therefore, unlike the conventional case, it is not necessary to always give an image print command from the outside, and the transmission delay of an external signal does not occur.

Further, since the digital signal processing unit 14 generates print data in which the image and the time information are printed so as to be printed without overlapping with each other, the time information is included in a part of the video signal as in the conventional case. There are no poses. Therefore, it is not necessary to process the video signal in order to impose the time information, and the information of the video signal in the portion where the time information is imposed (or superimposed) is not lost.

As a result, the image printer of the first embodiment is relatively simple in the processing to be given from the outside, and can perform accurate image printing in time without losing the information of the video signal.

<Second Embodiment> FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the image printer that is the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG.
A control signal can be transmitted / received to / from the outside through the external control I / F unit 8, and the divided image information and the image signal for instructing the number N of divided images when the image is divided and displayed are stored in the image signal memory unit. 3 and storage time interval information indicating the acquisition time interval ΔT are received as a control signal from the outside. Also, it receives time information from the time measuring unit 9.

Then, the system control section 27 uses the video signal memory section 3 as an RGB digital signal based on the time information, the storage time interval information and the divided image information.
A video storage control signal for instructing the timing for storing the image is given to the comment control unit 10 and the memory / print control unit 26, and a divided image control signal for instructing the number N of divided images is sent to the comment control unit 10 and the memory / print control unit 2.
6 and outputs the storage time interval information to the comment insertion unit 28.

The memory / print control unit 26 receives the image storage control signal and the divided image control signal, and based on the image storage control signal and the divided image control signal, the image signal memory unit 3
The RGB digital signal storage control signal for instructing the timing for storing the RGB digital signal and the RGB divided image control signal for instructing the number of divided images.
Output to. The memory / print control unit 26 also controls the operations of the digital signal processing unit 14 and the image printing unit 5 based on the video storage control signal.

The video signal memory unit 3 receives the RGB digital signal storage control signal and the RGB divided image control, and outputs the RGB signal.
At the timing indicated by the digital signal storage control signal,
RGB digital signal is compressed to 1 / N and time interval ΔT
By sequentially storing each of them, the RGB digital signals for N screens finally compressed to 1 / N are stored.

On the other hand, the comment control unit 10 receives the storage time interval information, the video storage control signal and the divided image control signal, and based on the video storage control signal and the divided image control signal,
A comment insertion control signal indicating the timing of the Nth compressed and stored RGB digital signal is output to the comment insertion unit 28.

The comment insertion unit 28 receives the time information, the storage time interval information and the comment insertion control signal, recognizes the time corresponding to the timing indicated by the comment insertion control signal, and is defined by the time and the storage time interval information. The time display information, which is character information expressing the time interval ΔT, is generated and output to the digital signal processing unit 14.

The digital signal processor 14 fetches the RGB digital signal and the time display information stored in the video signal memory 3 under the control of the memory / print controller 26,
The print data combined so that the image based on the RGB digital signal and the time based on the time display information are printed without overlapping with each other is output to the image printing unit 5.

The image print section 5 prints an image based on the print data on a print sheet under the control of the memory / print control section 26. The rest of the configuration is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and therefore its explanation is omitted.

In such a configuration, the system control unit 27 instructs the storage time interval information for instructing the time interval ΔT for storing the video signal from the outside through the external control I / F unit 8 and the divided image number N. When the divided image information to be read is loaded, a video storage control signal is given to the comment control unit 10 and the memory / print control unit 26 based on the time information obtained from the time measuring unit 9, the storage time interval information, and the divided image control signal. , And outputs the storage time interval information to the comment insertion unit 11.

The memory / print control unit 26 which has received the video storage control signal and the divided image control signal sends the RGB digital signal storage control signal and the RGB division control signal to the memory unit 3 based on the video storage control signal and the divided image control signal. By outputting the RGB digital signal, the RGB digital signal 1 /
By compressing to N and sequentially storing in the video signal memory unit 3, the RG of N screens finally compressed to 1 / N is obtained.
The B digital signal is stored in the video signal memory unit 3.

On the other hand, the comment control unit 10 which has received the video storage control signal and the divided image control signal sets the timing of the RGB digital signal stored in the N-th compression based on the video storage control signal and the divided image control signal. By outputting the comment insertion control signal to instruct to the comment insertion unit 28, the comment insertion unit 28 expresses the time corresponding to the timing instructed by the comment insertion control signal and the time interval ΔT defined by the storage time interval information. The time display information to be generated is generated and output to the digital signal processing unit 14.

Thereafter, under the control of the memory / print control unit 26, the digital signal processing unit 14 takes in the RGB digital signal and the time display information stored in the video signal memory unit 3, and displays the image and the time display based on the RGB digital signal. The print data synthesized so that the information-based time and the information-based time do not overlap with each other is output to the image printing unit 5.

Then, under the control of the memory / print control unit 26, the image printing unit 5 prints an image based on the print data on a print sheet. At this time, when N = 4, as shown in FIG. 3, four images 31A to 31D compressed to 1/4 and time information {time interval ΔT (1/2 second)
Date (1995-1-1) / Time (7:03:35)}
32 and 32 are printed on the print paper 30 without overlapping each other.

Thus, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, the image printer of the second embodiment has N screens which are sequentially stored in the video signal memory unit 3 at a predetermined time interval ΔT after being compressed to 1 / N. The minute image and the time information can be printed on the same print paper.

Therefore, the print paper can be effectively used by printing the image of the N screen on one print paper. Further, as the time information, date, time, storage time interval in the video signal memory unit 3 and detailed information can be printed.

In the second embodiment, the comment control unit 10 outputs the comment insertion control signal for instructing the timing of the RGB digital signal compressed and stored Nth to the comment insertion unit 28. , I-th (i
= 1 to N) of the RGB digital signals stored.

[0062]

As described above, the image printer according to the first aspect of the present invention has the time measuring means for measuring the time and outputting the time information defining the time. The image based on the video signal can be automatically printed at a predetermined timing by the time-controlled image printing means that receives the time information. Further, the processing will not be delayed due to the transmission delay of the information about the time obtained from the outside.

As a result, the process to be given from the outside becomes relatively simple, and the image printing can be performed accurately in time.

Further, the time-controlled image printing means in the image printer according to the second aspect recognizes the time corresponding to the timing indicated by the video storage control signal and outputs the time display information which is character information expressing the time. The time when the video signal is stored in the video storage means, since the time display information output means and the printing means for printing the image based on the stored video signal and the time represented by the time display information on a predetermined print paper are provided. Can be printed with the image.

Further, the time-controlled image printing means in the image printer according to the third aspect of the invention outputs the image signal at a predetermined time interval at 1 / time at the timing indicated by the image storage control signal.
Since the image signal storage means for storing the N-screen compressed video signal by compressing to N and sequentially storing it is provided, the printing means simultaneously prints N-screen images onto a predetermined print paper. Can be printed.

As a result, the print paper can be effectively used by printing the image of the N screen on one print paper.

The time-controlled image printing means in the image printer according to claim 4 is one of the N video signals compressed and stored in the video signal storage means based on the divided image control signal and the video storage control signal. Of the video signal is stored, and time display information output means for outputting time display information which is character information expressing the time and a predetermined time interval is further provided, and the printing means is based on the stored video signal. In order to print the image and the time represented by the time display information on a predetermined print sheet, the time when one of the N video signals is stored in the video storage means and the N video signals are stored in the video storage means. The time information consisting of the time intervals stored in the means can be printed with the image.

As a result, it is possible to obtain detailed information regarding the time for the image of N screens.

Further, since the printing means in the image printer according to the fifth aspect prints the image based on the stored video signal and the time based on the time display information on a predetermined print paper without overlapping each other, the image based on the video signal is printed. The time based on the time display information can be printed together with the image without impairing the quality of the image.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image printer which is a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a print output result of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a print output result of the second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image printer which is a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional image printer.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional image print system capable of inserting date / time.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a print output result of the image print system shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 video signal processing unit, 2 analog / digital signal converting unit, 3 video signal memory unit, 5 image printing unit, 8
External control I / F unit, 9 time measuring unit, 10 comment control unit, 11,28 comment insertion unit, 14 digital signal processing unit, 16,26 memory / print control unit,
17, 27 System control unit.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A time measuring means for measuring time and outputting time information defining the time, an image based on the video signal at a predetermined timing based on the time information, the video signal and the time information being received. An image printer comprising: a time-controlled image printing unit that prints the image. 2. The time control image printing means receives the time information and outputs a video storage control signal for instructing a timing of storing the video signal based on the time information, and the video signal. A video signal storage means for storing the video signal at a timing instructed by the video storage control signal, and receiving time information and the video storage control signal, and recognizing a time corresponding to the timing instructed by the video storage control signal A time display information output means for outputting time display information which is character information expressing the time, a stored video signal which is a video signal stored in the video signal storage means and the time display information, and Printing means for printing an image based on the stored video signal and the time represented by the time display information on a predetermined print paper;
The image printer according to claim 1, further comprising: 3. The time-controlled image printing means receives the time information, sequentially outputs, based on the time information, a video storage control signal for instructing a timing of storing a video signal at predetermined time intervals, and the divided images. Control means for outputting a divided image control signal for instructing the number N; receiving the video signal, the video storage control signal and the divided image control signal, and at a predetermined time interval at a timing instructed by the video storage control signal. The video signal to 1 / N
Based on a stored video signal which is a video signal stored in the video signal storage means, and a video signal storage means for storing video signals for N screens compressed to 1 / N The image printer according to claim 1, further comprising a printing unit that prints an image on a predetermined print sheet. 4. The control unit further outputs time interval information defining the predetermined time interval, and the time control image printing unit includes the time information, the time interval information, the divided image control signal and the video. Receiving a storage control signal, recognizing the time for storing one video signal of N video signals compressed and stored in the video signal storage means based on the divided image control signal and the video storage control signal. Further comprising time display information output means for outputting time display information, which is character information expressing the time and the predetermined time interval, the printing means further receiving the time display information,
Printing an image based on the stored video signal and the time represented by the time display information on a predetermined print paper;
The image printer according to claim 3. 5. The printing device according to claim 2, wherein the printing unit prints the image based on the stored video signal and the time represented by the time display information on the predetermined print paper without overlapping each other. Image printer described.