JPH08304934A - Image size identifying device and its method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To make it possible to identify the sizes of recorded images with a high likelihood by deciding the sizes of the images in accordance with the densities of the specific region or the degrees of the variations in the values of the change rates of the densities with respect to the images of the narrow range in low-density parts. CONSTITUTION: The images in a measurement region are classified to the images of the wide range of the low-density parts and the images of the narrow ranges in accordance with the densities at many points. The image region is extracted for the images of the wide range in the low-density parts and the size of the images are decided in accordance with the distribution in the measurement range. The change values of the densities are calculated for the respective measurement points of the regions SA, SB off the panorama image recording range within the standard image recording range for the images of the narrow ranges in the low-density parts. Whether the average value of the change values of the densities calculated with each of the regions SA, SB is smaller than the respective prescribed values (c) and whether the dispersion of the change values of the densities calculated with each of the regions SA, SB is smaller than the prescribed values (d) or not are decided. The image size is decided to be a panorama size if the result of the decision is affirmative. The image size is decided to be a standard size if the result of the decision is negative.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image size identifying apparatus and method, and more particularly to an image size identifying method for identifying the size of an image recorded on a photographic film, and an image size to which the image size identifying method can be applied. Regarding an identification device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, cameras which can record images of different sizes (for example, standard size and panoramic size) on a single photographic film have been widely distributed. In the photographic processing step of performing various kinds of processing on photographic film such as negative film, it is necessary to change the processing content according to the size of the image recorded on the photographic film. For example, the image recorded on the negative film is printed on photographic paper. In the photo printing process of printing on, it is necessary to switch the mask range, change the printing magnification, change the size of the printing paper, etc. according to the image size. Therefore, it is necessary to automatically detect the size of each image recorded on the photographic film in order to automatically perform the processing steps such as the photographic printing process on the photographic film on which images of different sizes are recorded in a mixed manner. Therefore, various detection methods have been conventionally proposed.

As an example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 4-350643 and 4-303833 disclose a first sensor for detecting the density of a portion corresponding to a recording area of a panoramic image,
A second sensor that detects the density of a predetermined area corresponding to the outside of the recording range of the panoramic size image and within the recording range of the standard size image is provided along the width direction of the negative film (direction orthogonal to the transport direction). A technique is disclosed in which the image size is determined to be a panoramic size when the densities detected by the second sensor are the film-based densities of the negative film.

Further, in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-323464, the presence or absence of a boundary image at a position corresponding to the boundary of a panoramic size image is detected, and the data with the boundary image is integrated along the negative film transport direction. , A technique of comparing an integrated value with a predetermined value and determining that an image has a panoramic size when the integrated value is equal to or larger than the predetermined value is disclosed.

[0005]

However, the density of the predetermined area corresponding to the outside of the recording range of the panoramic size image and within the recording range of the standard size image has an exposure underexposure even if the image size is the standard size. The image recorded on negative film has a low value close to the density of the film base, and even if the image size is a panorama size, an image with fogging etc. outside the recording range of the panorama size image due to defective camera etc. It is a high value that is significantly different from the density of the film base. In the technology described in JP-A-4-350643 and JP-A-4-303833, because the image size is determined based on the density of the predetermined region,
The image size may be erroneously determined for the above image.

Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-323464 does not specifically describe how to detect the presence / absence of a boundary image, but the detection of the presence / absence of a boundary image is performed by detecting a sudden change portion (edge) of an image signal. It is determined that the boundary image is a portion in which the density change of the image is equal to or more than a predetermined value. However, for example, an image recorded on a negative film by exposure underexposure has low density and gradation as a whole, and the magnitude of density change at the image boundary is small. For this reason, the boundary image may not be detected for many images recorded on the negative film by exposure underexposure, and the image size may not be correctly determined.

In addition, the integrated value of data with a boundary image in the above publication is a section length obtained by integrating the data in the film transport direction, that is, the length of the boundary image along the boundary position of the panoramic size image. It indicates whether or not it exists over the entire length, and a predetermined value indicating the length (for example, 5 m
Image size is judged by comparing with m). For this reason, even though the image size is the standard size, the density change occurs in the vicinity of the position corresponding to the boundary of the panoramic size image over a predetermined length substantially parallel to the boundary of the image,
There is a high possibility that the size of the image will be erroneously determined as the panorama size.

In the above publication, the presence or absence of the above-described boundary image is determined by determining whether or not the image exists in a predetermined area corresponding to the recording range of the standard size image outside the recording range of the panoramic size image. The image size determination based on the above is supplemented, but no specific method for determining the presence or absence of an image is described. Usually, the above determination is generally performed by determining whether or not a portion having a density equal to or higher than a predetermined density exists in the area. For a panoramic size image in which a part exists, the size of the image is likely to be erroneously determined to be the standard size.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above facts, and an object thereof is to obtain an image size identifying apparatus and an image size identifying method capable of identifying the size of an image recorded on a photographic film with high accuracy. Is.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, an image size identifying apparatus according to the invention of claim 1 is provided with a large number of points in a measuring area including an image recording range on a photographic film on which an image is recorded. The density recorded on the photographic film is based on the density measuring means for measuring the density in each of the density measuring means and the density at the multiple points measured by the density measuring means, and a low density portion having a relatively low density in the measurement area. A classification means for classifying a wide range of images or an image in which the range of the low-density part is narrow, and an image classified as having a wide range of the low-density part by the classification means, based on the densities of the multiple points, Extraction means for extracting an image area estimated to correspond to an image portion from the measurement area, and an image support based on the distribution of the image area extracted by the extraction means in the measurement area. With respect to the image classified by the first judging means for judging the gap and the range of the low-density portion as narrow by the classifying means, when the density is the first image size among the density of the above-mentioned multiple places, it is within the image recording range. When the second image size is different from the first image size, from the density at each position in the judgment area including the predetermined area on the photographic film, which is outside the image recording range, to the density or density change at each position in the judgment area. And a second determining unit that determines the size of the image based on the degree of variation in the density or the amount of change in density calculated by the computing unit. are doing.

An image size identification device according to a second aspect of the present invention is a density measuring means for measuring the density at each of a number of locations within a measurement area including an image recording range on a photographic film on which an image is recorded, and the density. Based on the densities at the multiple points measured by the measuring means, the image recorded on the photographic film is in the image recording range when the first image size is set, and when the second image size different from the first image size is set. Sometimes the difference between the density in the first predetermined area on the photographic film that is outside the image recording range and the density in the second predetermined area on the photographic film that is within the image recording range for any image size is A classifying unit that classifies the image into a large image and an image with the small difference, and an image classified as having the large difference by the classifying unit is measured based on the densities of the multiple locations. Extracting means for extracting an image area estimated to correspond to an image portion from the area; first determining means for determining the size of the image based on the distribution of the image area extracted by the extracting means in the measurement area; For images classified as small by the classification means,
A calculating unit that calculates the degree of variation in the density or the value of the density change amount at each position in the determination area from the density at each position in the determination area including the first predetermined area among the densities at the multiple locations. Second determining means for determining the size of the image based on the degree of variation in the density or the value of the density change amount calculated by the calculating means.

In the image size identifying method according to the third aspect of the present invention, the densities at a large number of points in the measurement area including the image recording area on the photographic film on which the image is recorded are measured, and the measured large number of points are measured. Based on the density, the image recorded on the photographic film is classified into an image in which the range of the low density portion having a relatively low density in the measurement area is wide or an image in which the range of the low density portion is narrow, and For images classified as having a wide range, based on the densities of the multiple locations, an image area estimated to correspond to an image portion is extracted from the measurement area, and based on the distribution of the extracted image area in the measurement area. The size of the image is determined based on the image size, and for the image classified as having a narrow range of the low-density portion, the density of the plurality of points is within the image recording range when the image size is the first image size. When the second image size is different from the size, from the density at each position in the judgment area including the predetermined area on the photographic film which is outside the image recording range, The degree of variation is calculated, and the image size is determined based on the degree of variation in the calculated density or the value of the density change amount.

In the image size identifying method according to the present invention, the density is measured at each of a large number of points in the measurement area including the image recording range on the photographic film on which the image is recorded, and the measured number of points is measured. A photographic film in which an image recorded on a photographic film is within the image recording range when the first image size is present and is outside the image recording range when the second image size is different from the first image size based on the density of An image with a large difference between the density in the first predetermined area above and the density in the second predetermined area on the photographic film that is within the image recording range for any image size, and an image with a small difference For the image classified as the large difference, the image area estimated to correspond to the image portion is extracted from the measurement area based on the densities of the multiple points and extracted. The image size is determined based on the distribution of the image region in the measurement region, and for the images classified as having the small difference, within the determination region that includes the first predetermined region among the densities at the multiple locations. From the densities at the respective locations, the degree of variation in the values of the densities or the density variation amounts at the respective locations in the determination area is calculated, and the image size is determined based on the degree of variation in the calculated densities or the value of the density variation amounts. .

[0014]

The inventor of the present invention, for each of a large number of standard size images and a large number of panoramic size images recorded on a negative film of the same film type, as shown in FIG. 1, within the standard size image recording range. Then, an experiment was carried out to measure the densities at a large number of locations in the areas S _A and S _B , excluding the area hatched in FIG. 1 from the predetermined area corresponding to the outside of the panorama size image recording range. It should be noted that, in the hatched area shown in FIG. 1, the area marked as “date removal mask” indicates that the date is recorded by the camera when recording the image in a panoramic size depending on the type of camera used for recording the image. This is an area that can be Also, in the area marked "Panorama mark removal mask", depending on the type of camera, when recording an image in the panorama size, a mark indicating that the image size is the panorama size may be recorded by the camera. It is a sexual area.

Then, the density change value at each location is calculated based on the measured density at each location in the areas S _A and S _B , and the variance and average value of the calculated density variation values at each location are calculated as the area S _A and The calculation was performed for each of the areas S _B. Figure 2
In FIG. 2B, the panorama size is also shown in FIG. 2B, where the horizontal axis represents the distribution of density change values and the vertical axis represents the average value of density change values. The results obtained by plotting the calculation results for the image are shown.

As is clear from FIG. 2, the panoramic scene
Area S in the image_AAnd area S_BVariance of concentration change
And the average value is relatively low, and the points representing the calculation result are the lines in FIG.
They are concentrated within a relatively narrow predetermined range on the diagram (Fig. 2
(See (B)), whereas in the standard size image, the area S_A
And area S_BRelatively high variance and average value
In many cases, the points representing the calculation results are wide on the diagram in Fig. 2.
It is theoretically distributed over the range (see Fig. 2 (A)).
I can understand. The results for standard size images are shown.
In FIG. 2A, the points representing the result of the panorama size image are
Points are also plotted within the specified range of concentration
Is an area S corresponding to the same image_AAnd area S _BBoth sides of
It is very unlikely that any of the results will fall within the specified range.
Both have been confirmed by the present inventor.

By the way, in the above experiment, a standard size image in which a pattern of density change is generated in a vicinity of a position corresponding to a boundary of a panoramic size image over a predetermined length in parallel with the boundary of the image, and an image by fogging The same result can be obtained even when a panoramic size image in which a portion having a predetermined density or more exists outside the recording range is performed. This is because when the areas S _A and S _B are exposed by fog, the area S
_A, change in concentration and concentration changes value within S _B whereas relatively small, the area S _A, if the image has been exposed to the S _B, the area S _A, the concentration and density change value in the S _B Is because it changes intricately according to the content of the exposed image.

In consideration of the above experimental results, according to the invention of claim 1, the densities at a large number of points in the measurement area including the image recording range on the photographic film on which the image is recorded are measured by the density measuring means and classified. In the means, based on the densities of a large number of points in the measurement area measured, the image recorded on the photographic film, an image having a wide range of the low density portion having a relatively low density in the measurement area or the low density portion of the low density portion. Classify images as having a narrow range. The classification by the classifying means is performed, for example, when a density histogram is created based on the measured densities at a large number of points, and when the cumulative value of the frequency from the maximum value or the minimum value of the density on the density histogram becomes a predetermined value. It can be performed depending on whether the density value is equal to or more than a predetermined value. Further, the classification may be performed only by using the densities of a predetermined area within the image recording range for the first image size and outside the image recording range for the second image size.

As described above, an image having a narrow image recording range and recorded on a photographic film with a standard exposure amount is classified as an image having a wide range of low density portions. In addition, an image recorded on a negative film as a photographic film by exposure underexposure (overexposure by reversal film) is likely to be classified as an image having a wide range of low density portion regardless of the image size. In the seed image, the density change at the boundary of the image recording range is very small, and the density change in the image recording range is not clear.
The difference in the variation of the density change value for each image size is unlikely to occur, as shown in FIG. Therefore, in the present invention, for an image classified as having a wide range of low-density areas, the extraction means estimates the image area corresponding to the image area from the measurement area based on the measured densities at many points. Extract the first
The determining means determines the image size based on the distribution of the extracted image area in the measurement area.

In the extraction of the image area, for example, a density threshold value is set with reference to at least one of the minimum value and the maximum value of the density at a large number of points, and the density is equal to or more than the threshold value in the measurement area. Can be extracted as an image region. As the threshold value, for example, the density is higher than the lowest value by a predetermined value, the density is lower than the highest value by a predetermined value, or a histogram of the measured density is created and the density It is possible to set a density value in which the cumulative value from the lowest value or the highest value is a predetermined value.
The minimum density of the photographic film substantially matches the density of the film base, and the maximum density is a value that reflects the density of the film base and the exposure amount during image recording. Therefore,
By extracting the image area based on at least one of the minimum and maximum density values, even if the density of the film base and the exposure amount at the time of image recording are different, it is appropriate to correspond to the actual image part as the image area. It is possible to extract various areas.

Further, a base density detecting means for detecting the density of each component color of the film base of the photographic film is further provided, and the density measuring means decomposes the density at each of the above-mentioned multiple points for each component color to measure each density. In the extraction means, based on the density of each component color of the film base and the density of each component color at a number of locations measured by the density measuring means, a portion of the film base and a color different from that in the measurement range is set as an image area. You may make it extract. The location where the color is different from the film base can be judged by comparing the densities of a large number of locations measured by the density measuring means with the density of the film base for each component color. It is possible to extract an appropriate area corresponding to the actual image portion as the image area regardless of the color.

As a result, as described above, even when the change in the density of the boundary of the image recording range or the density of the image recording range is very small, this influence is not exerted, and the image is classified as an image having a wide range of the low density portion. Even if the image was recorded on photographic film with underexposure (overexposure on reversal film), it matches the actual image recording range,
Alternatively, the size of the image recorded on the photographic film can be accurately determined based on the distribution of the approximated image areas.

The image size is determined by the determining means based on the distribution of the image area. For example, a figure circumscribing the image area is obtained, and the size and shape of the figure obtained, the position in the measurement area, etc. are determined. However, it is easier to obtain the existence rate of the image area in each of the plurality of partial areas obtained by dividing the measurement area, and to determine the image size based on the found existence rate. It is preferable that the image size can be determined by determining the distribution of the image region by various processes.

On the other hand, an image having a wide image recording range and recorded on a photographic film with a standard exposure amount is classified as an image having a narrow low density portion. Further, an image having a portion having a predetermined density or more outside the image recording range due to fogging or the like is also likely to be classified as an image having a narrow low density portion range. In the present invention, for an image classified as having a narrow range of the low density portion, the calculation means is in the image recording range when the first image size is set, based on the experimental result shown in FIG. When the second image size is different from the first image size, from the density at each position in the judgment area including the predetermined area on the photographic film that is outside the image recording range, The degree of variation of the values is calculated, and the second determination means
The size of the image is determined based on the degree of variation in the calculated density or the value of the density change amount.

As the degree of variation in the above values,
Physical quantities such as variance and standard deviation can be applied. Accordingly, it is possible to clearly identify an image in which the predetermined area is unexposed or exposed by fog and an image in which the predetermined area is also exposed with the image. Further, the determination of the image size by the above calculation means and the second determination means, and the determination of the image size by the above extraction means and the first determination means
Since neither of them detects the image boundary and makes a judgment,
The size of an image can be identified without being affected by the density change pattern even for an image in which a density change pattern exists at a predetermined position within the image recording range substantially parallel to the image boundary. .

An image exposed outside the image recording range due to fogging may be classified as an image having a wide range of the low density portion depending on the exposure amount at the time of image recording. Since the area of the part exposed by the fog is generally small, the image exposed outside the image recording range due to the fog is classified as an image in which the range of the low density part is narrow, and the part exposed due to the fog by the extracting means. Even when extracted as an image area,
It is highly possible that the size of the image area can be accurately determined by the determination means according to the image area distribution.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the size of the image recorded on the photographic film can be adjusted to the level of the exposure amount when the image is recorded on the photographic film or the portion exposed by fog or the like outside the image recording range. It can be identified with high accuracy regardless of the presence or absence.

Further, in the image size (the panorama size in the example of FIG. 2) where the predetermined region is not originally the image region,
In most cases, both the degree of variation in the density or the value of the density change amount in a predetermined area and the average value are both within a predetermined range (see FIG. 2). For this reason, the calculating means also calculates the average value of the densities or the density change amounts at the respective points in the predetermined region, and the determining means determines the image size in consideration of the calculated average value of the densities or the density change amounts. In this case, the accuracy of identifying the image size can be further improved.

The density of each image in the judgment area and the density change amount may be used for the judgment of the size of the image by the second judgment means, but the overall density of the image is different for each image. In addition to the difference, the density of the film base also differs for each film type, and considering the fact that the average value of the density at each location changes due to these changes in density, the degree of variation in the value of the density change amount at each location (and the average value) It is preferable to use (value) to determine the size of the image because it is less likely to be affected by changes in the overall density of the image and the density of the film base.

By the way, an image recorded on a negative film as a photographic film by exposure underexposure has a high density only in a part (for example, a main part) of the image unless it is an extreme underexposure, and in other parts (for example, a background part). The density of) is often very low, and the high density part is often present near the center of the image.

In consideration of the above, the invention according to claim 2
In place of the classifying means according to claim 1, the first image size is within the image recording range, and the second image size different from the first image size is outside the image recording range. The image is classified into an image having a large difference between the density in the predetermined area of 1 and the density in the second predetermined area on the photographic film that is within the image recording range for any image size, and an image having the small difference. A classification means is provided. Further, the image size determination by the extraction unit and the first determination unit described above is performed on the images classified as having the large difference, and the image size determination by the calculation unit and the second determination unit is performed by the difference. Is performed on images classified as small.

In the above, the density within the first predetermined region and the second density
As an image having a large difference from the density in the predetermined area of, for example, a second size image recorded on a negative film as a photographic film with an exposure amount higher than the standard, or an image recording range of the second image size only. Images in which a high density portion exists (for example, an image recorded on a negative film as a photographic film by exposure underexposure) and the like are classified, and the image size is determined by the extraction unit and the first determination unit for these images. Is determined.

As an image with a small difference between the density in the first predetermined area and the density in the second predetermined area, for example, the first image recorded on a negative film as a photographic film with an exposure amount higher than the standard exposure amount. 2nd size image and fogging
The images of the second image size in which there is a high density portion outside the image recording range of the image size of are classified, and the image size is determined by the calculation means and the second determination means for these images. Is done. In this way, the image can be classified by the classifying means described in claim 2 in the same manner as the classifying means described in claim 1, so that the image recorded on the photographic film can be classified like the invention of claim 1. The size of
It is possible to identify with high accuracy regardless of whether the exposure amount is high or low when an image is recorded on a photographic film, or whether or not there is a portion exposed by fog or the like outside the image recording range.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the density in the measurement area including the image recording area on the photographic film is measured, and the image recorded on the photographic film is measured within the measurement area based on the measured density. For an image classified into a wide range of low density areas with a relatively low density or an image with a narrow range of low density areas and classified as having a wide range of low density areas, it corresponds to the image area from the measurement area. Then, the image area estimated to be extracted is extracted, the image size is determined based on the distribution of the extracted image area in the measurement area, and the first image is determined for the image classified as having a narrow low-density area. The size is within the image recording range, and the second image size is different from the first image size. Outside the image recording range, the size is outside the image recording range. The degree of variation in the value of the density or the amount of change in density at each location in the area is calculated, and the image size is determined based on the degree of variation in the value of the calculated density or the amount of change in density. To
The size of the image recorded on the photographic film can be identified with high accuracy.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the density in the measurement area including the image recording range on the photographic film is measured, and the image recorded on the photographic film is converted into the first image size based on the measured density. Is within the image recording range, and is different from the first image size when the second image size is outside the image recording range, the density is within the first predetermined region, and with any image size, the image density is within the image recording range. The image classified into the image having a large difference between the density in the predetermined region 2 and the image having the small difference, and the image classified as having the large difference is estimated to correspond to the image portion from the measurement region. A region is extracted, the size of the image is determined based on the distribution of the extracted image region in the measurement region, and for images classified as having the small difference, each of the determination regions including the first predetermined region is determined. Point From the density in the determination area, the degree of variation in the value of the density or the density change amount at each position in the determination region is calculated, and the image size is determined based on the degree of variation in the calculated density or the value of the density change amount. Similar to the second aspect of the invention, the size of the image recorded on the photographic film can be identified with high accuracy.

[0036]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 3 shows a photographic printing apparatus 30 having an image size identifying apparatus according to the present invention. The photo printing apparatus 30 is provided with a halogen lamp and a lamp house 38 as an exposure light source including a reflector for reflecting light emitted from the halogen lamp upward. Above the lamp house 38, C (cyan), M
A light control filter section 40 including light control filters of (magenta) and Y (yellow), and a light diffusion box 42 are sequentially arranged.

Above the light diffusion box 42, the developed negative film 34 set in the photographic printing apparatus 30.
An exposure stage 32 through which (corresponding to the photographic film of the present invention) passes is disposed, and a lens 44, a black shutter 46, and a printing paper 48 are sequentially disposed above the exposure stage 32. The exposure stage 32 is provided with an opening and a variable negative mask (not shown) whose size can be changed according to the size of the image recorded on the negative film 34. The light rays emitted from the lamp house 38 and passing through the light control filter section 40 and the light diffusion box 42 are
The negative film 34 passes through the opening of the variable negative mask.
And is imaged on the printing paper 48 by the lens 44.

Further, obliquely above the exposure stage 32, the photometer 50 is arranged in a position inclined with respect to the optical axis of the light beam emitted from the lamp house 38 and at a position where the image recorded on the negative film 34 can be measured. Are arranged. The photometer 50 is composed of a two-dimensional image sensor or the like, divides the image recorded on the negative film 34 into a large number of pixels, and separates the light transmitted through each pixel into R, G, and B component colors, The light intensity of each component color light is measured. Although not shown, the photometer 50 is connected to the control circuit 52 and outputs the photometric value obtained by the above measurement to the control circuit 52.

Next to the exposure stage 32, a carrying section 36 and a photometric stage 54 are arranged with the exposure stage 32 interposed therebetween. The transport unit 36 includes a pair of transport rollers 36A that sandwich the negative film 34 and a pulse motor 36A that rotates the transport roller 36A. The pulse motor 36A rotates the transport roller 36A to move the negative film 34 to an arrow in FIG. Transport in the A direction. The pulse motor 36A is connected to the control circuit 52 via the pulse motor drive circuit 56.

Below the photometry stage 54, the light source lamp 5
8, a lens 60 and a line sensor 62 as the density measuring means of the present invention are sequentially provided above the photometric stage 54. As shown in FIG. 4, the line sensor 62 is configured by arranging a large number of light receiving elements along a predetermined direction, and the light receiving elements are arranged so that the arrangement direction thereof coincides with the width direction of the negative film 34. ing. Corresponding to the line sensor 62, the photometric stage 54 is provided with a rectangular opening whose longitudinal direction is the arrangement direction of the light receiving elements of the line sensor 62, and the light beam emitted from the light source lamp 58 passes through the opening. Then, the light passes through the negative film 36 and is imaged by the lens 60 on the light receiving surface of each light receiving element of the line sensor 62.

The line sensor 62 measures the amount of light transmitted through different parts of the negative film 34 by the respective light receiving elements. The line sensor 62 is connected to the control circuit 52, and the photometric value obtained by the above measurement is applied to the control circuit 52.
Output to. The control circuit 52 is configured to include a microcomputer provided with a memory such as a CPU, a ROM and a RAM, and a keyboard 64 for inputting various data, commands and the like is connected.

A notch sensor 66 is provided upstream of the photometric stage 54 in the negative film transport direction (direction of arrow A in FIG. 1). The negative film 34, which has been subjected to processing such as development by a developing device (not shown), is set in the photographic printing device 30 after undergoing an image inspection process. In the image inspection process, the image recorded on the negative film 34 is visually inspected by the operator to determine whether or not the image should be printed on the photographic paper. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, a notch 34C (notch) is provided at a corresponding position at one end in the film width direction of the image determined to be printed. The notch sensor 66 described above detects the notch 34C applied to the negative film 34. The notch sensor 66 is connected to the control circuit 52 and outputs the detection result to the control circuit 52.
Output to.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. FIG.
As shown in, the negative film 34 according to the present embodiment,
In addition to the standard size (so-called full size) image 34A, an image 34B having the same longitudinal size as the standard size and a smaller aspect ratio than the standard size (a panorama size in this embodiment) is also recorded. In the photo printing device 30, a negative film in which only the standard size image 34A is recorded, a panoramic size image 3
Either a negative film on which only 4B is recorded or a negative film on which a standard size image 34A and a panoramic size image 34B are mixedly recorded are set.

Next, the measurement of the density of the negative film performed by the photometric stage 54 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The processing shown in FIG. 5 is executed by the control circuit 52 when the negative film 30 is set in the photographic printing apparatus 30 and the execution of the printing processing is instructed.

In step 100, the pulse motor 36B is driven through the pulse motor drive circuit 56 to convey the negative film 34. In step 102, negative film 3
It is determined whether or not the density measurement region 4 corresponds to the photometric stage 54. As shown by an imaginary line in FIG. 4, the density measurement area is larger than the image recording range of the standard size image 34A and the panoramic size image 34B and includes the image recording range. On the other hand, since the notch 34C is provided at a substantially constant position corresponding to the image to be printed, whether or not the density measurement region corresponds to the photometric stage 54 is determined by the notch sensor 66 and the notch. The determination can be made based on the amount of conveyance of the negative film 34 after the notch 34C is detected by the sensor 66.

If the determination is negative, step 116.
Then, it is determined whether or not the image has reached the exposure position corresponding to the exposure stage 32. When the determination is affirmative, the process returns to step 100, and the transport of the negative film 34 is continued.

If the determination at step 102 is affirmative, the routine proceeds to step 106, where the photometric value output from the line sensor 62 (transmits each of a plurality of measurement points arranged in the density measurement region along the film width direction). Light intensity)
After converting the captured photometric value into a density value, in the next step 108, the obtained density value is stored in a memory (not shown) of the control circuit 52 as a density value of each measurement point forming a single measurement point sequence. In step 110, it is determined whether or not the measurement for the single concentration measurement range is completed. If the determination is negative, the process moves to step 116 described above.

From the above, steps 100 and 1 are performed until the density values of all the measurement points in the single density measurement area are stored.
06 and 108 will be repeated. Step 11
When the determination of 0 is affirmed, the image size determination process is started in step 112, and then the process proceeds to step 116.

This image size determination process will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In step 140, the density values of all the measurement points in the single density measurement area stored in the memory in the processing of FIG. 5 are fetched. In the next step 142, a density histogram is created from the density values of the respective measurement points stored in the memory. As an example, FIG.
FIG. 7B shows the result of creating a density histogram for the image shown in FIG. In step 144, a cumulative frequency histogram representing the cumulative value of frequencies from the maximum density value in the created density histogram is created. Figure 7
As an example, in FIG. 7C, a solid line shows the result of creating the cumulative frequency histogram from the density histogram shown in FIG.

In step 146, the density value D in which the cumulative frequency value exceeds the predetermined value in the cumulative histogram created
Is calculated, and it is determined in step 154 whether the density value D is less than a predetermined value. Note that steps 142 to 154 correspond to the classifying means of the invention of claim 1. Figure 7 as an example
As shown in FIG. 7A, an image of an exposure underexposure in which the density of the background portion (edge portion of the image) is extremely low (FIG. 7A shows an image of a fireworks scene as an example)
As shown in (B), there are a large number of measurement points where the density is relatively low, and the area ratio of the low density portion in the density measurement range is high. In the cumulative frequency histogram of such an image, as shown in FIG. 7C, the cumulative value gradually increases from the maximum density to the minimum density on the high density side and rapidly increases on the low density part side. The cumulative value is increasing.

When the cumulative frequency histogram changes as described above, the density value at which the cumulative frequency value exceeds the predetermined value becomes a low value (for example, see density D _{1 in} FIG. 7C), and the determination at step 154 is made. Affirmed. The image in which the density value D is determined to be less than the predetermined value has a high area ratio of the low density portion in the density measurement range as described above (the range of the low density portion is wide).
Therefore, the density change at the boundary of the image is not clear, and the density change in the area outside the recording area of the panorama size image within the recording area of the standard size image (area outside the central image area C shown in FIG. 10). There is no or little.

Therefore, if the determination at step 154 is affirmative, at step 156 the density histogram created at the previous step 142 is fetched, and at the next step 15
At 8, the threshold value for binarization is determined using the created density histogram. In determining the threshold value, first, the density value D _B of the film base of the negative film 34 is obtained.
This is, for example, a density range (density value Da shown in FIG. 8) in which it is estimated that the density value of the film base is present regardless of the type of the negative film, which is determined by measuring the density of the film base of various negative films in advance. In the above range and below the density value Db), the density value having the highest frequency in the density histogram is set to the base density value D.
It can be _B. Next, out of the measurement points in the concentration measurement range, the total number n of the measurement points whose concentration value is the base concentration value D _B or more is obtained, and the maximum value of the concentration of each measurement point is used as a reference to determine the concentration in the created concentration histogram. It is possible to use the density value when the cumulative value from the maximum value of is a predetermined value smaller than the total number n (for example, 0.9 × n) as the threshold value.

Further, in step 158, the density measurement region is determined by using the threshold value determined as described above, and the non-image portion composed of the measurement points whose density value is lower than the threshold value and the density value are Binarization is performed by dividing into an image portion composed of measurement points equal to or more than the threshold value. The image portion corresponds to the image area of the present invention, and the steps 142 and 15 are executed.
The processings 6 and 158 correspond to the extraction means of the present invention.

By this binarization, as an example, FIG.
From the panorama size image shown in FIG.
As the value image, the binary image shown in FIG. 9D is obtained from the standard size image shown in FIG. 9C. 9B and 9D, a region (image region) classified as an image portion is shown in black, and a region classified as a non-image portion is shown in white. The image shown in FIG. 9 (C) is an image of a fireworks scene taken as in the image shown in FIG. 7 (A).
As shown in (D), it can be understood that a portion that substantially matches the actual image recording range is extracted as the image area.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 10, in the present embodiment, the density measurement areas are classified into a standard image existing area F, a panorama edge existing area P, and a central image area C. If the image recorded on the negative film 34 is a panoramic size, the panorama edge existing region P is a region where the boundary of the film width direction end portion of the image is located.
The standard image existing area F is located outside the panorama edge existing area P in the film width direction, and the negative film 34
If the image recorded in 1 is the standard size, it is the area where the image exists. The central image area C is located on the inner side in the film width direction with respect to the panorama edge existing area P, and is an area where the image exists regardless of the size of the image.

The processing after the next step 160 corresponds to the first judging means of the present invention. That is, step 1
In 60, in each of the standard image existence area F, the panorama edge existence area P, and the central image area C (see FIG. 10), the area ratio (image existence ratio) occupied by the image areas extracted by the above-described binarization Is calculated. Next step 162
Then, it is determined whether or not the existence rate of the image area in the entire density measurement area (standard image existing area F + panorama edge existing area P + center image area C) is less than a predetermined value a. If this determination is positive, the area ratio of the image region is extremely low over the entire density measurement region, and it is difficult to determine the size of the image. In this case, the process proceeds to step 174, the image size is determined to be the standard size, and the image size determination process ends.

On the other hand, when the determination in step 162 is affirmative, it is determined in step 164 whether the existence ratio of the image area in the standard image existence area F is the predetermined value b or more. If this determination is affirmative, it means that the area ratio of the image area outside the image recording range of the panorama size is high, so the process moves to step 174, and the image size is determined to be the standard size, and the image size determination is performed. The process ends. When the determination in step 164 is negative, it is determined in step 166 whether or not the existence ratio of the image area in the panorama edge existence area P is the predetermined value c or more. If this determination is positive, the image recorded on the negative film 34 is likely to have a panoramic size.
In step 76, the image size is determined to be the standard size, and the image size determination process ends.

When the determination in step 166 is negative, it is difficult to determine the size of the image as in the case where the determination in step 162 is positive, so that the image size is the standard size in step 174. When it is determined that there is, the image size determination process ends.

By the way, an image recorded on the negative film 34 with an exposure amount higher than the standard has a large number of measurement points with a relatively high density, and in particular, a standard size image recorded on the negative film 34 with an exposure amount higher than the standard is used. Compared with the image in which the area ratio of the low-density portion occupying the density measurement range is high, the image shown in FIG.
As shown by the imaginary line in (C), the cumulative value of the frequency increases from the maximum value to the minimum value of the density at a relatively higher increase rate than that on the high density side. In such a case, the density value in which the cumulative value of the frequencies exceeds the predetermined value becomes a high value (as an example, in FIG.
(See density D _{2 in} (C)), and the determination in step 154 is denied.

In this type of image, since the density change at the image boundary is relatively large, it is possible to determine the image size by detecting the image boundary. In this determination, for example, the image size is For an image in which a predetermined density change pattern is generated near the position corresponding to the boundary of the panoramic size image, even though the size is the standard size (for example, an image of a tin roof or blinds, etc.) On the other hand, there is a possibility that the size of the image is erroneously determined to be the panorama size. Further, there is a possibility that the image size may be erroneously determined even for a panorama size image in which a portion having a predetermined density or more is generated outside the image recording range due to fog or the like.

Therefore, if the determination in step 154 is negative, the process proceeds to step 168. Step 16
Area S _A or S _B in the density measurement area in 8 (see Fig. 1)
A plurality of measurement points existing inside are determined, and for each of the determined measurement points, the direction toward each of the eight measurement points existing in the vicinity (a total of eight directions: as eight arrows in different directions in FIG. 11) The density change values along the line (shown) are calculated using a differential filter. It should be noted that this processing corresponds to the density change amount calculating means of the present invention. FIG. 11 shows an example of eight differential filters for calculating the density change values along the eight directions.

For example, in the case of calculating the density change value along a predetermined direction, the density of the measurement point to be calculated is used by using a differential filter indicated by the arrow pointing to the predetermined direction among the eight arrows shown in FIG. In the predetermined direction, the values and the density values of eight measurement points (so-called eight neighborhoods) existing around the measurement point to be calculated are multiplied by the numerical value of the differential filter as a coefficient to calculate their sum. The density change value along the line can be obtained. By performing the above calculation using eight differential filters corresponding to each direction, it is possible to obtain the density change value along each direction at a single measurement point.

The areas S _A and S _B are the areas of the "date removal mask" shown by hatching in FIG. 1 from the range of the standard image existing area F + the panorama edge existing area P, as described above. And the area excluding the “panorama mark removal mask” area. The standard image existing area F corresponds to the predetermined area of the present invention, and the areas S _A and S _B correspond to the determination area of the present invention.

In step 170, the density change value calculated in step 168 is standardized according to the equation (1) shown below, and then the standardized density change value is used for each measurement point existing in the area S _A , and The average value and the variance are calculated for each of the measurement points existing in the area S _B. Note that steps 168 and 1
Reference numeral 70 corresponds to the calculating means of the present invention.

[0066]

[Equation 1]

At the next step 172, the average value of the density change values calculated for each of the areas S _A and S _B is smaller than the predetermined value c, and the density change values calculated for each of the areas S _A and S _B are calculated. It is determined whether the variance is smaller than the predetermined value d. Note that this determination corresponds to the determination means of the present invention. As is clear from FIG. 2 described in the section of the action, when the above determination is affirmed, there are few portions where the density changes in the areas S _A and S _B , and the standard image existing area F is the image recording area. Outside the range, standard image existing area F
It is highly possible that the inside is unexposed or only partially exposed due to fog. Therefore, step 1
When the determination in 72 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 176, the image size is determined to be the panoramic size, and the image size determination process ends.

If the determination is negative, the area S _A
At least one of the area S _B and the area where the density changes intricately exists over a wide range, and it is very likely that the standard image existing area F is within the image recording range. Therefore, when the determination in step 172 is negative, the process proceeds to step 174, the image size is determined to be the standard size, and the image size determination process is ended.

On the other hand, step 1 in the process shown in FIG.
If the result of the determination in 16 is affirmative, the conveyance of the negative film 34 is stopped (the image is positioned at the exposure position), and the process proceeds to step 118 to capture the image size determination result by the image size determination process described above. . In the next step 120, the image positioned at the exposure position is measured by the photometer 50, and in step 122, the printing magnification is determined based on the captured image size determination result,
Based on the photometric value of the reference negative film stored in advance in the memory of the control circuit 52, the photometric value input from the photometer 50, and the above-mentioned printing magnification, the positioned image is printed on the printing paper 48. The exposure condition for attaching is calculated.

Then, in step 124, the lens 44 is switched according to the determined printing magnification, the size of the opening of the variable negative mask of the exposure stage 32 is changed according to the result of the image size determination, and the exposure condition for the printing paper 48 is changed. The exposure process is performed by controlling the movement of each filter of the dimming filter section 40 and the black shutter 46 so that the exposure condition determined by the above is satisfied.

In the next step 126, the negative film 34
It is determined whether or not the printing process has been completed for all the images recorded in. If the determination is negative, the process returns to step 100 and the above-mentioned processing is repeated. Therefore, every time the density measurement for a certain density measurement area is completed, the image size determination process is started to determine the size of the image corresponding to the density measurement area, and the lens 44 and the variable negative mask are switched based on this determination result. And the exposure conditions are determined, and the image on the negative film 24 is printed on the photographic paper 4.
It will be baked on 8. If the determination in step 126 is affirmative, in step 128 the negative film 34 is transported to the rear end in the transport direction, and the processing ends.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Since the second embodiment has the same configuration as that of the first embodiment described above, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description of the configuration will be omitted. The image size determination process according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In the second embodiment, the density value of each measurement point is fetched in step 140, a density histogram is created from the density of each measurement point in step 142, and then the created density histogram is created in the next step 180. Based on this, similarly to step 158 of the flowchart of FIG. 6 described above, the maximum value of the density at each measurement point is used as a reference,
In the density histogram, the density value at which the cumulative value of the frequencies from the maximum value of the density becomes a predetermined value is set as the threshold value.

In step 182, the density values of the measurement point sequences A and B located at the predetermined positions are extracted from the density values of the measurement points acquired in step 140.
As shown in FIG. 13, the measurement point sequences A and B are located at positions corresponding to the panorama size image in the image recording range. In step 184, the density value of each measurement point constituting the measurement point series A and B is compared with the set threshold value, and the number of times the density value is the threshold value or more (the density value is the threshold value The above number of measurement points) is integrated for each measurement point sequence A and B. In FIG. 13, as an example, the standard size image 34A and the panorama size image 3 are exposed on the negative film 34 with an exposure amount higher than the standard.
4B shows the result of comparing the density value and the threshold value of each measurement point constituting the measurement point series A and B when 4B is recorded. In the next step 186, it is determined whether the cumulative value of the measurement point sequence A and the cumulative value of the measurement point sequence B are each less than a predetermined value.

Incidentally, step 140 and step 18
0 to 186 correspond to the classifying means of the invention of claim 1, and when the determination in step 186 is positive,
Since there are many measurement points whose density is less than the threshold value at least outside the image recording range of the panorama size image, it is highly possible that the range of the low density part where the density is relatively low is wide even within the density measuring range. Can be estimated. Note that step 18
Examples of the image for which the determination of 6 is affirmative include a panoramic size image recorded on the negative film 34 with an exposure amount equal to or higher than the standard, an image recorded on the negative film 34 with exposure under, and the like.

Therefore, if the determination in step 186 is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 156, and step 156
After that, as in the first embodiment, the density measurement area is binarized to extract the image area, and the image size is determined based on the distribution of the image area. As a result, the image size of the image as described above can be determined with high accuracy as in the first embodiment.

If the determination in step 186 is negative, there are many measurement points whose density is equal to or greater than the threshold value, at least outside the image recording range of the panorama size image, so that the entire density measurement range is present. It can be inferred that the range of the low-density portion where the density is relatively low is highly likely to be narrow. In addition,
The image for which the determination in step 186 is denied is a standard size image recorded on the negative film 34 with an exposure amount equal to or higher than the standard, or a panorama size image in which a portion having a predetermined density or more is generated outside the image recording range due to fog or the like. Etc.

Therefore, if the determination in step 186 is negative, the process proceeds to step 168 and step 168.
Thereafter, similar to the first embodiment, the image size is determined based on the variance and average value of the density change values in the areas S _A and S _B. As a result, for images like the above,
Similar to the first embodiment, the image size can be determined with high accuracy.

[Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. Since the third embodiment has the same configuration as the first embodiment described above, the same parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description of the configuration will be omitted. The image size determination processing according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

In the third embodiment, after the density values of the respective measurement points are taken in at step 140, the density values of the measurement point sequences A to D located at the predetermined positions are extracted at step 190. . As shown in FIG. 15, measurement point sequences A and D
Is a position corresponding to the recording range of the standard size image and outside the recording range of the panorama size image, and the measurement point sequences B and C are positions corresponding to the recording range of the panorama size image. In step 192, the previously measured and stored film base density values of the negative film 34 are captured.

The density value of the film base may be measured when the negative film 34 is set in the photographic printing apparatus 30, or the density of the film base may be measured in advance for each type of negative film. Alternatively, the film type may be detected by reading the bar code or the like provided on the negative film 34, and the density value corresponding to the detected film type may be fetched.

In the next step 194, step 190
And the density values of the measurement point sequences A to D extracted in step 192
Based on the density value of the film base of the negative film 34 taken in, the measurement point sequences A and D are calculated according to the following equation (2)
The characteristic values F ₁ and F ₂ are calculated for each measurement point of.

[0083]

[Equation 2]

In the equation (2), D _{A to} D _D are the measurement point sequences A to
The density value at each measurement point of D and D _Z respectively represent the density value of the film base. The characteristic values F ₁ and F ₂ are the density ratio of each measurement point of the measurement point sequence A to each measurement point of the measurement point sequence B, and the density of each measurement point of the measurement point sequence D to each measurement point of the measurement point sequence C. The ratios are represented respectively, and the value of the characteristic value F decreases as the degree of blank area outside the image recording range of the panorama size image increases.

In step 196, a histogram of the characteristic value F as shown in FIG. 15B is created from the calculated many characteristic values F ₁ and F ₂ as an example. In the next step 198, a cumulative frequency histogram representing a cumulative value of frequencies from the minimum value of the characteristic value F is created based on the created histogram of the characteristic value F. In FIG. 15 (C),
An example of cumulative frequency histograms when the image size is the standard size and the panorama size (in FIG. 15C, the cumulative value of the frequency of the characteristic value F is represented by a percentage) is shown. In step 200, a cumulative value S of frequencies when the characteristic value is a predetermined value is calculated in the created cumulative frequency histogram, and in the next step 202, whether the calculated cumulative value S of frequencies is larger than a predetermined value or not. judge.

Incidentally, step 140 and step 19
0 to 202 correspond to the classifying means of the invention of claim 2, and if the determination in step 202 is affirmative, the panorama size image within the recording range (second predetermined area) of the panorama size image Since the degree of blank area outside the recording range (first predetermined area) is high, it can be determined that the difference between the density in the first predetermined area and the density in the second predetermined area is large. Examples of the image for which the determination in step 202 is positive include a panoramic size image recorded on the negative film 34 with an exposure amount equal to or higher than the standard, an image recorded on the negative film 34 with exposure under, and the like.

That is, since the panorama size image recorded on the negative film 34 with the exposure amount higher than the standard has a high degree of blank area outside the image recording range with respect to the inside of the image recording range, the characteristic value F on the histogram of the characteristic value F In the cumulative frequency histogram, a frequency peak occurs in a range in which the value of is relatively low, and the cumulative value of the frequency rapidly increases in a range in which the value of the characteristic value F is relatively low, as shown in FIG. There is. Therefore, the predetermined value in step 200 is
If it is the predetermined value F _A shown in FIG. 5 (C), the cumulative value of the frequency becomes S ₁ shown in FIG. 15 (C), which is a relatively high value. This also applies to an image in which the main part of the image having a relatively high density exists within the panorama size image recording range, and an image in which the density of the part other than the main part is low (the image recorded on the negative film 34 by exposure under). Is.

Therefore, when the cumulative value S of the frequencies is larger than the predetermined value, the determination at step 202 is affirmative and the routine proceeds to step 156, where after step 156, the first and second embodiments are executed. Similarly, the density measurement range is binarized to extract the image area, and the image size is determined based on the distribution of the image area. As a result, the image size of the image as described above can be determined with high accuracy as in the first and second embodiments.

If the determination in step 202 is negative, the degree of blank area outside the recording range of the panorama size image with respect to within the recording range of the panorama size image is low. It can be determined that the difference from the density in the second predetermined region is small. As an image for which the determination in step 202 is denied, there is a high density portion outside the recording range of the panorama size image due to fog, etc., which is the standard size image recorded on the negative film 34 with an exposure amount higher than the standard. Examples include panoramic size images.

That is, the standard size image recorded on the negative film 34 with an exposure amount higher than the standard has a portion having a relatively high density outside the recording range of the panorama size image, and is within the recording range of the panorama size image. Since the degree of blankness outside the image recording range with respect to is low, a frequency peak occurs in a range where the value of the characteristic value F is relatively high on the histogram of the characteristic value F, and a change in the cumulative value of the frequency in the cumulative frequency histogram As shown in FIG. 15 (C), the rate of increase gradually increases as the value of the characteristic value F increases. Therefore, if the predetermined value in step 200 is the predetermined value F _A shown in FIG.
It becomes S ₂ shown in (C), which is a relatively low value. This also applies to a panoramic size image in which a high density portion exists outside the recording range of the panoramic size image due to fog or the like.

Therefore, if the cumulative value S of the frequencies is equal to or less than the predetermined value, the determination in step 202 is affirmative and step 1
In step 168 and subsequent steps, the process for determining the image size is performed based on the variance and average value of the density change values in the areas S _A and S _B , as in the first and second embodiments. . As a result, the image size of the image as described above can be determined with high accuracy as in the first and second embodiments.

[Fourth Embodiment] Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 16 shows a photographic printing apparatus 70 according to the fourth embodiment. The photo printing apparatus 70 includes a line sensor 72 in which a large number (approximately three times) of light receiving elements are arranged in higher density, instead of the line sensor 62 described above.
Is provided. A color separation filter 74 is provided on the light receiving surface of the line sensor 72. Color separation filter 74
C, M, and Y filters are formed in stripes corresponding to the light receiving elements of the line sensor 72.
As a result, the light transmitted through each measurement point is separated by the color separation filter 7
4 is separated into R, G, and B component color lights and received by any of the light receiving elements.

In the fourth embodiment, after the transfer of the negative film 34 is started, the light intensity of the light transmitted through the film base of the unexposed portion (for example, the tip end portion) of the negative film 34 by the line sensor 72 is set to R, G, The measurement is performed for each B, and the measurement result is converted into a density value and stored in the memory. When the density measurement range on the negative film 34 corresponds to the photometric stage 54 and the determination in step 102 is affirmative, step 1
At 06, the output from the line sensor 72 is taken in and R,
It is converted into density values for G and B and stored.

Further, in the image size determination processing described in the first to third embodiments, the image area is extracted by obtaining the threshold value from the density histogram and binarizing the obtained threshold value. (Step 1 in FIGS. 6, 12, and 14)
56, 158), instead of this in the fourth embodiment,
The density values for each R, G, B of the film base of the negative film 34 previously stored in the memory are taken in, and then the density values of the respective measurement points are calculated for each of the R, G, B for the film base of the negative film 34. In comparison with the film base, the measurement point having a color different from that of the film base is determined as a measurement point in which at least one of the density values of R, G and B is different from the density value of the film base by a predetermined value or more. Then, the area constituted by the measurement points determined to have different colors is extracted as an image area. As a result, an appropriate area corresponding to the actual image recording range is extracted as the image area regardless of the exposure amount and the color of the film base when the image is recorded on the negative film 34. In addition,
The processing on the extracted image area is the same as in the first to third embodiments.

In the above description, the panoramic size is described as an example of a size having the same longitudinal dimension as the standard size and a smaller aspect ratio than the standard size, but the present invention is not limited to this. It goes without saying that the present invention is also applicable to the case where an image of another size such as a powerful vision size having a different aspect ratio from the panorama size is recorded. Further, the present invention can be applied to determination of three or more types of image sizes having different aspect ratios.

Further, although the line sensor has been described as an example of the density measuring means in the above, a two-dimensional image sensor such as a CCD in which light receiving elements are arranged in a matrix may be used. Further, regarding the second and third embodiments, FIG.
3 and a density sensor may be provided separately from the line sensor at a position corresponding to each measurement point sequence shown in FIG.

Further, in the above, it is determined whether or not the density measurement area corresponds to the photometric position based on the detection result by the notch sensor 66 and the transport amount of the negative film 34 after the notch sensor 66 detects the notch 34C. However, the present invention is not limited to this. As an example, the line sensor 62 while conveying the negative film 34.
A portion where the photometric value output from the line sensor 62 is maximized within a predetermined range in which it is estimated that there is a high probability that the boundary of the density measurement region exists on the negative film by monitoring the photometric value output from When the captured photometric value is slightly lower than the photometric value at the maximum point (for example, about 90 to 95%), the line sensor 62 corresponds to the boundary portion of the concentration measurement region. From this point of time, until the negative film 34 is conveyed by the length of the density measuring region along the longitudinal direction of the negative film 34, it is determined that the line sensor 62 corresponds to the density measuring region. May be.

This is because there is a possibility that a portion on the negative film 34 where the photometric value is maximum has a lower density value than the surroundings of the portion and is an unexposed portion between a plurality of images recorded on the negative film 34. Is high. It should be noted that at the position of the predetermined range in which the probability that the boundary of the density measurement region is present is high, the image exists on the upstream side in the transport direction of the negative film 34 with respect to the image corresponding to the density measurement region to be determined. If so, since the position of the image existing on the upstream side has already been determined with high accuracy by the image position / size determination process, the position of the image existing on the upstream side is used as a reference. The position within a predetermined range can be determined. Further, even when the image does not exist on the upstream side in the transport direction of the negative film 34 with respect to the image corresponding to the density measurement region to be determined, for example, a range after a position separated from the leading end of the negative film 34 by a certain distance. The predetermined range can be set.

Furthermore, in the first to third embodiments, a threshold value is set using the maximum value of the density as a reference by using the density histogram, and binarization is performed using the threshold value, so that the density measurement area is changed to the image area. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is possible to set a threshold value based on the minimum density value or set a threshold value based on the minimum and maximum density values. The threshold value may be a density value which is higher than the density of the film base of the negative film by a predetermined value or more. Further, in the above, the base density of the negative film was obtained from the density histogram of each measurement point, but the base density of the negative film was measured in advance for each film type and stored in the storage means, and the negative film was given the negative density. It is also possible to read a bar code or a DX code attached to a film case accommodating a negative film to judge the film type of the negative film, and read out and use the base density corresponding to the judged film type.

Further, in the fourth embodiment, the negative film 3
4, instead of measuring the densities of R, G, and B of the film base, the densities of R, G, and B of the film base are measured and stored in advance for each film type of the negative film. DX attached to the film case containing the barcode or negative film attached to the
Read the code to determine the film type of negative film,
The densities of R, G, and B corresponding to the determined film type may be read and used. However, if there is a possibility of processing the negative film 34 that has been discolored due to aging, etc., it is more accurate to actually measure the density value for each component color as described above, so that a more accurate value can be obtained. preferable.

Further, when calculating the existence ratio in the standard image existing area F for the extracted image area, a date removal mask and a panorama mark removal mask are set as in FIG. 12, and the mask portion is excluded. You may make it calculate. As a result, even if the date and panorama mark were recorded at the same time when the panorama size image was taken,
Standard image existence region F of the image region extracted for the image
It is possible to prevent the existence rate of the image from being unnecessarily increased by the date and the panorama mark, and it is possible to further improve the accuracy of the image size determination.

Furthermore, in the above, the size and size of the image are judged by comparing the variance and average value of the density change values at the respective measurement points in the areas S _A and S _B with a predetermined value, but the present invention is not limited to this. However, the size of the image may be determined by using only the variance of the density change value of each measurement point, the variance of the density of each measurement point, or the variance and the average value of the density of each measurement point. Further, instead of the average value, it is also possible to use the sum of the densities of the respective measurement points in the areas S _A and S _B.

Further, in the above, the present invention is applied to the photo printing apparatus 30.
However, the present invention can also be applied to a photographic processing apparatus that performs processing of other steps than the photographic processing step.

In the above description, a negative film was used as an example of the photographic film, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention may be applied to an image recorded on another photographic film such as a reversal film. It is possible. In the above description, the case where a plurality of images are recorded on the long film along the longitudinal direction of the film has been described as an example, but the present invention records a plurality of images in a matrix on a sheet-like film. It is also applicable when

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the embodiments include embodiments of the technical matters described below in addition to the embodiments of the technical matters described in the claims.

(1) The calculating means calculates the dispersion of the density or the density change amount as the degree of variation in the value of the density or the density change amount, and the second judging means calculates the density or the density change amount calculated by the calculating means. If the variance is less than a predetermined value, it is determined that the predetermined area is within the image recording range, and if the variance is less than the predetermined value, it is determined that the predetermined area is outside the image recording range. The image size identification device according to claim 1, wherein the size is determined.

[0107]

As described above, according to the first and third aspects of the present invention, the image recorded on the photographic film is recorded in an image having a wide range of a low density portion or a low density portion in the measurement area. For the image classified as having a narrow range of the density part and having a wide range of the low density part, the image area estimated to correspond to the image part is extracted from the measurement area,
The size of the image is determined based on the distribution of the extracted image region in the measurement region, and for the image classified as having a narrow low-density portion range, it is within the image recording range at the first image size. When the second image size is different from the image size of the above, the degree of variation in the density or the value of the density change amount is calculated at each position in the judgment area including the predetermined area on the photographic film which is outside the image recording range, and the calculated density is calculated. Alternatively, since the size of the image is determined based on the degree of variation in the value of the density change amount, there is an excellent effect that the size of the image recorded on the photographic film can be identified with high accuracy.

According to the second and fourth aspects of the invention, when the image recorded on the photographic film is within the image recording range when the first image size is set and when the second image size different from the first image size is set, There is a large difference between the density in the first predetermined area on the photographic film that is outside the image recording range and the density in the second predetermined area on the photographic film that is within the image recording range for any image size. For the image classified into the image and the image having the small difference, and the image classified as having the large difference, the image area estimated to correspond to the image portion is extracted from the measurement area, and the extracted image area is within the measurement area. The size of the image is determined based on the distribution in the above, and for the image classified as the difference is small, the degree of variation in the value of the density or the density change amount at each position in the determination area including the first predetermined area. Since the image size is determined based on the degree of variation in the calculated density or the value of the density change amount, the size of the image recorded on the photographic film can be identified with high accuracy. It has an excellent effect.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view for explaining an experimental result by the inventor of the present application,
FIG. 3 is a plan view of a negative film showing areas A and B for calculating a variance and an average value of density change values.

FIG. 2 shows an operation of the present invention, where (A) is a standard size image and (B) is a panoramic size image, and the variance and average value of the density change values in regions A and B outside the panoramic size image range are shown. It is a diagram which each shows an example of the result of a calculation.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a photographic printing apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a negative film and a line sensor.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the measurement of the density of a negative film and the printing process.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an image size determination process according to the first embodiment.

7A is an image diagram showing an example of a standard size image recorded on a negative film by shooting a fireworks scene, FIG. 7B is a density histogram obtained from the image of FIG. It is a diagram which each shows an example of the cumulative frequency histogram calculated | required from the density histogram of (B).

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a histogram of density values at respective measurement points for explaining determination of a threshold value in binarization.

9A is an example of a panorama size image recorded on a negative film, FIG. 9B is a binary image obtained by binarizing the image of FIG. 9A, and FIG. 9C is a negative film. An example of the recorded standard size image, (D) is an image diagram showing a binary image obtained by binarizing the image of (C).

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a negative film showing a range of a standard image existing area F, a panorama edge existing area P, and a central image area C in the density measurement area.

FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a differential filter for obtaining a density change value.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an image size determination process of the second embodiment.

FIG. 13 is an example of the result of comparing the position of the measurement point sequences A and B used for determining the density outside the panorama size image recording range, the density value of each measurement point forming the measurement point sequences A and B, and the threshold value. It is a conceptual diagram which shows.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an image size determination process of the third embodiment.

15A is a plan view of a negative film showing positions of measurement point sequences used for calculation of a characteristic value F, FIG. 15B is a histogram of the characteristic value F, and FIG. 15C is a cumulative frequency histogram of the characteristic value F. It is a diagram which shows an example, respectively.

FIG. 16 is a schematic configuration diagram of a photographic printing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 30 Photographic Printing Device 34 Negative Film 52 Control Circuit 62 Line Sensor 70 Photographic Printing Device 72 Line Sensor 74 Color Separation Filter

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] March 14, 1996

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0040

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Next to the exposure stage 32, a carrying section 36 and a photometric stage 54 are arranged with the exposure stage 32 interposed therebetween. Conveying portion 36 and a pair of conveying rollers 36A for holding the negative film 34 is provided with a pulse motor 36 B to rotate the conveying rollers 36A, the negative film 34 by the pulse motor 36 B rotates the conveying roller 36A Figure 3 Carry in the direction of arrow A. The pulse motor 36 B is connected to the control circuit 52 via the pulse motor drive circuit 56.

[Procedure Amendment 2]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] 0058

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

Meanwhile, if the determination in step 162 is not constant, the presence ratio of the image area in the standard image existing area F at step 164 it is determined whether more than a predetermined value b. If this determination is affirmative, it means that the area ratio of the image area outside the image recording range of the panorama size is high, so the process moves to step 174, and the image size is determined to be the standard size, and the image size determination is performed. The process ends. When the determination in step 164 is negative, it is determined in step 166 whether or not the existence ratio of the image area in the panorama edge existence area P is the predetermined value c or more. If this determination is positive, the image recorded on the negative film 34 is likely to have a panoramic size.
In step 76, the image size is determined to be the panoramic size, and the image size determination process ends.

[Procedure 3]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Name of item to be corrected] Figure 3

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Figure 3]

[Procedure amendment 4]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Name of item to be corrected] Figure 6

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Figure 6]

[Procedure Amendment 5]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Name of item to be corrected] Fig. 12

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Fig. 12]

[Procedure correction 6]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Name of item to be corrected] Fig. 14

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

FIG. 14

[Procedure Amendment 7]

[Document name to be corrected] Drawing

[Correction target item name] Fig. 16

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

FIG. 16

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A density measuring means for measuring the density at each of a number of locations within a measurement region including an image recording range on a photographic film on which an image is recorded, and the density at the plurality of locations measured by the density measuring means. On the basis of the classification means, the classification means for classifying the image recorded on the photographic film into an image having a wide range of a low density part having a relatively low density or an image having a narrow range of the low density part in the measurement area, and the classifying means. For the image classified as having a wide range of the low-density portion, based on the densities of the large number of locations, an extracting unit that extracts an image region estimated to correspond to an image portion from the measurement region, and the extracting unit extracts the image region. First determining means for determining the size of the image based on the distribution of the generated image area in the measurement area, and an image classified by the classifying means as having a narrow low density portion range On the other hand, of the densities at the multiple locations, a predetermined area on the photographic film that is within the image recording range when the image size is the first image size and outside the image recording range when the second image size is different from the first image size. A calculating unit that calculates the degree of variation in the value of the density or the density change amount at each position in the determination region from the density at each position in the determination region, and the value of the density or the density change amount calculated by the calculating unit. An image size identification device including: a second determination unit that determines the size of the image based on the degree of variation. 2. A density measuring means for measuring the density at each of a large number of points in a measurement area including an image recording area on a photographic film having an image recorded thereon, and the density at the plurality of points measured by the density measuring means. The image recorded on the photographic film is
When the image size is
When the second image size is different from the second image size, the density in the first predetermined area on the photographic film is outside the image recording range, and the second density on the photographic film is within the image recording range at any image size. Based on the density of the multiple locations for the image classified as a large difference by the classifying means, an image having a large difference between the density in the predetermined region and the image having a small difference, A first determination for determining the image size based on the distribution of the image region extracted by the extraction unit in the measurement region, the extraction unit extracting the image region estimated to correspond to the image portion from the measurement region. Means, and for the images classified as having the small difference by the classification means, from the densities at the respective positions in the determination region including the first predetermined region among the densities at the plurality of positions, A calculation unit that calculates the degree of variation in the density or the value of the density change amount at each position in the determination area, and the size of the image is determined based on the degree of the variation in the value of the density or the density change amount calculated by the calculation unit. An image size identification device including: 3. An image recorded on a photographic film based on the measured densities at a large number of points in a measurement area including an image recording range on an image-recorded photographic film. Is classified into an image in which the range of the low-density portion is relatively low in the measurement area or an image in which the range of the low-density portion is narrow, and for an image classified as a wide range of the low-density portion, Based on the densities of the multiple locations, the image area estimated to correspond to the image portion is extracted from the measurement area, and the image size is determined based on the distribution of the extracted image area in the measurement area. For images classified as having a narrow range, among the densities at the multiple locations, the second image size is within the image recording range when the image size is the first image size, and the second image size is different from the first image size.
When the image size is 0, the degree of variation in the density or the value of the amount of change in density at each location in the determination area is calculated from the density at each location in the determination area including the predetermined area on the photographic film that is outside the image recording range. An image size identification method for determining the size of an image based on the degree of variation in the calculated density or the value of the density change amount. 4. The densities at a large number of points within a measurement area including an image recording range on the photographic film on which an image is recorded are measured, and the densities recorded on the photographic film are recorded based on the measured densities at the plurality of points. The density of the image within the first predetermined area on the photographic film, which is within the image recording range when the image has the first image size, and outside the image recording range when the second image size is different from the first image size, An image classified into a large difference between the density and the density in the second predetermined area on the photographic film that is within the image recording range for any image size, and an image with the small difference, and classified with the large difference. In contrast, based on the densities of the multiple points, an image area estimated to correspond to an image portion is extracted from the measurement area, and an image is extracted based on the distribution of the extracted image area in the measurement area. The size of the image is determined, and for the images classified as the difference is small, from the densities at the respective locations within the determination area including the first predetermined area among the densities at the multiple locations, An image size identification method for calculating the degree of variation in the value of the density or the amount of change in density at a location, and determining the size of the image based on the degree of variation in the value of the calculated density or the amount of change in density.