JPH0879693A - Video printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To enlarge the size of a video image to be printed without limit. CONSTITUTION: At the time of printing a video image without putting a comment, an image compositing part 23 converts the size of the video image from a memory 16 to a maximum size specified by the size of a recording paper 50, the number of the elements of a head, etc., to output. At the time of printing without putting the comment, the image compositing part 23 temporarily converts the video image from the memory 16 to the maximum size, erases the image of the maximum size by only the part of one-character line on its lower side, and composites the inputted comment at the erased part to output the video image. Consequently, whether the comment is put or not, the video image is printed in as a large size as possible so that an impressive print can be obtained.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video printer for printing an input video image and outputting it as a hard copy, and more particularly to synthesizing a video image and a simple sentence such as a date or comment for printing. A video printer made possible.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a video image is printed by a video printer, a text such as a date or a simple comment is used by using characters or figures outside the video image, that is, in a margin portion other than the video image. Are collectively referred to as comments) are known. In the present specification, "printing" includes not only forming a character or a graphic as a hard copy but also forming a video image as a hard copy.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a printing example in which a comment is inserted in a video image. A video image 51 is printed in a predetermined area of the recording paper 50, and a comment "ABCDE" is printed in the margin. 52 is printed.

[0004]

However, in the conventional video printer, the size of the video image to be printed is the maximum printable size on the recording paper to be printed (hereinafter ,
Since it is printed in a size smaller than the maximum size), there is a problem that the printed video image lacks power particularly when the comment is not printed.

That is, as shown in FIG. 6, assuming that the maximum size is 55 with respect to the size of the recording paper 50, the vertical is H ₀ , and the horizontal is W _0. Considering that the image looks good when attached, the captured video image is reduced to have a size of H _A in the vertical direction and W _{A in} the horizontal direction as indicated by 51.

If the comment is not printed, 5
When only the video image is printed in the size indicated by 1 and the comment is printed, the video image is printed in the size indicated by 51 and the input comment is printed in the margin portion below the comment. .

The maximum size of a video image is uniquely determined by the size of recording paper, the number of print head elements, and the like.

As described above, in the conventional video printer, the size of the image to be printed is uniquely determined so that it looks good when the comment is added. Therefore, when the comment is not printed, 6, as shown by the shaded area in FIG. 6, an extra margin of H _{C on} the upper side of the video image 51, H _B on the lower side, W _{B on} the left side, W _{C on} the right side, and W _{C on} the right side. Not only is the recording paper 50 not used effectively, but the video image becomes smaller due to the increase in the blank space, resulting in a lack of power.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a video printer capable of printing a video image in a size as large as possible whether a comment is printed or not. It is a thing.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, a video printer of the present invention has an input means for inputting characters or graphics and various settings for printing a video image, and a captured video image. When printing only, the size of the video image is set to the maximum printable size for the recording paper to be printed, and when the captured video image and the characters or figures input by the input means are combined and printed. Is an image size determining means for setting the size of the video image to a predetermined size smaller than the maximum size, and when printing only the captured video image, the video image output from the image size determining means is directly output and captured. When a video image and a character or figure input by the input means are combined and printed, the image size is It is characterized by further comprising: a synthesizing unit for synthesizing and outputting the video image output from the determining unit and the character or figure input from the input unit, and a printing unit for printing the video image output from the synthesizing unit. .

[0011]

This video printer comprises an input means, an image size determining means, a synthesizing means, and a printing means.

The input means is for performing various settings relating to the input of characters or graphics for comments and the printing of video images.

The image size determining means determines the size of the video image to be printed. When printing only the video image, the video image is set to the maximum size.
When adding a comment, the size of the video image is set to a predetermined size smaller than the maximum size.

The output of the image size determining means is transferred to the synthesizing means. When only the video image is printed, the synthesizing means outputs the video image from the image size determining means as it is and adds a comment. In this case, the video image output from the image size determining unit and the comment input from the input unit are combined and output. Then, the video image output from the synthesizing means is transferred to the printing means and printed.

[0015]

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings.
First, a first embodiment will be described.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a video printer according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, the video printer 10 is provided with an external video input terminal 11, and the external video input terminal 11 is connected to an external video output terminal of a VTR 12 as a video signal source, for example.

The VTR 12 encodes the video signal picked up by the video head during reproduction, and
Output as a signal to the external video output terminal. In addition, VTR
As an alternative to 12, a video camera, a still video camera, a photo video camera that images a developed film and outputs a video signal, or the like can be used.

The NTSC signal output from the VTR 12 is input to the Y / C separation circuit 13 via the external image input terminal 11 of the video printer 10. The Y / C separation circuit 13 separates the NTSC signal into a luminance signal (Y) and a chrominance signal (C) and outputs it to the decoder 14. The decoder 14 sends the luminance signal (Y) and the color signal (C) to yellow,
It is for converting into three primary color signals of magenta and cyan.

The yellow, magenta, and cyan primary color signals output from the decoder 14 are converted into digital video signals having a predetermined number of gradations, for example, 256 gradations, in the A / D converter 15, and the memory 16 is used. And switch 1
7 is supplied.

The memory 16 is composed of, for example, three memory units for independently storing video images (image data) of three primary colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan for one frame, respectively. Image writing and reading operations are performed.

The switch 17 switches between supplying the image data from the A / D converter 15 to the D / A converter 19 or supplying the image data from the image synthesizing section 23 described later. This switch 1
7 state, that is, which image data is D / A converter 19
It is automatically controlled by the control unit 18 whether or not it is supplied to. Here, the switch 17 is normally the A / D converter 15
Connected to the image synthesizing unit 23 side after the image to be hard copied is determined by the user operating the user interface (hereinafter referred to as UI) 28. However, for example, UI2
It is also possible to provide a switch button for the display image of the monitor 22 on the monitor 8 so that the user can arbitrarily switch between the image data input from the external video input terminal 11 and the image data from the image synthesizing section 23 for observation. Of course there is.

The D / A converter 19 receives the input yellow,
The digital image data of the three primary colors of magenta and cyan are converted into an analog signal, and the encoder 20 uses D /
The analog video signals of the three primary colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan output from the A converter 19 are converted into a luminance signal (Y) and a color signal (C), or an NTSC signal and output to the external output video terminal 21. is there.

Therefore, since the switch 17 is initially connected to the A / D converter 15 side, the video image input from the external video input terminal 11 is displayed on the monitor 22, but the user operates the UI 28. By doing so, the screen for hard copy is determined, and when the image data of the screen is loaded into the memory 16, the control unit 18 switches the switch 17 to the image synthesizing unit 23 side as shown in the figure. As a result, the image of the image data output from the image composition unit 23 is displayed on the monitor 22.

The image data written in the memory 16 is read out under the control of the controller 18 and transferred to the image synthesizer 23.

Under the control of the control unit 18, the image synthesizing unit 23 determines the size of the image to be printed and, when a comment is added, the process of synthesizing the image data of the image to be printed and the image data of the comment. Is to do.

The process of determining the image size is as follows. When printing only the video image without adding a comment (this is called the normal print mode), process the image size of the image data from the memory 16 so that it becomes the maximum size for the specified recording paper size. Output. Specifically, when the size of the image data captured in the memory 16 is equal to or larger than the maximum size, for example, the image data transferred from the memory 16 is subjected to reduction processing to set the image size to the maximum size. Alternatively, the image data from the memory 16 may be cut out by the maximum size. Of course, when the size of the image data captured in the memory 16 is the maximum size, the image data from the memory 16 may be output as it is. Further, the memory 16
When the size of the image data taken in is less than the maximum size, it is natural that the image data from the memory 16 may be subjected to the enlargement processing.

As described above, the maximum size is uniquely determined by the size of the color recording paper (hereinafter simply referred to as recording paper) 50, the number of elements of the thermal head 26, etc., and is stored in the memory 16. Since the size of the captured image data is also fixed, it is clear that the above-described reduction processing or clipping processing can be performed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, when a comment is added to the lower margin portion outside the printing surface of the video image (this is referred to as a comment print mode), the image synthesizing section 23 operates as shown in FIG. 2, the size of the image data from the memory 16 is first set to the maximum size, and then the lower side of the image of the image data of the maximum size is deleted by one character line H _D as indicated by the hatched portion in FIG. To do. The size H _D of the longitudinal direction of the one character row is what is preset.

When the image size is determined in this way, the image synthesizing unit 23 synthesizes the image data of the comment output from the comment creating unit 29 in the deleted area.

In FIG. 1, the image synthesizing section 23 has a switch 1
It has two output terminals, namely, an output terminal to the 7 side and an output terminal to the line memory 24 side, and which of the output terminals outputs the image data is controlled by the control unit 18. Specifically, the image data is output to the switch 17 side until the user operates the UI 28 to instruct execution of printing. This allows the user to monitor 22
The image printed by can be observed. However, when the execution of printing is instructed, the control unit 18 controls the image synthesizing unit 23 to output the image data to the line memory 24 side. As a result, the image is printed.

The image synthesizing unit 23 can perform the enlargement or reduction processing and the deletion processing on the image data from the memory 16 and the image data subjected to the size determination processing. Any configuration may be used as long as it has a function of performing processing of synthesizing the image data of the comment from the comment creating unit 29. For example, an internal memory equivalent to the memory 16 is provided and It can be configured to perform the above-described size determination processing on the memory and to combine the image data and the image data of the comment.

When printing is performed, the image data for one line output from the image synthesizing unit 23 is stored in the line memory 24.
Is sent to the head drive unit 25 via. Head drive unit 2
Reference numeral 5 drives the thermal head 26 based on the sent image data for one line.

As is well known, the thermal head 26 has a large number of heating elements arranged in a line in the main scanning direction and heats the recording paper 50 to perform three-color sequential recording. The recording paper 50 has cyan, magenta, and yellow thermosensitive coloring layers sequentially stacked. After thermal recording of one color, optical fixing is performed by irradiation of an ultraviolet lamp (not shown) corresponding to the thermosensitive coloring layer of this color, and then,
The following colors are the ones that are thermally recorded.

The control unit 18 of the video printer 10 has a UI
28 is connected. The UI 28 selects an image to be printed, gives an instruction to execute printing, sets whether to print in the normal print mode or the comment print mode, inputs characters and figures of a comment when printing in the comment print mode, or This is for making various other settings. It is obvious that such a UI 28 can be configured using an input device such as a keyboard. Further, a liquid crystal display device and a touch panel may be combined to display various menus on the liquid crystal display device, and a desired setting may be performed by touching a place where the desired menu is displayed.

Here, the UI 28 is composed of a keyboard, and a freeze key for selecting an image to be printed, a print key for instructing execution of printing, and a normal print mode are set on the keyboard. At least a mode switching key for setting whether to print or to print in the comment print mode, and various keys for inputting characters and figures of a comment are provided. The control unit 18 is initially in the normal print mode, and the normal print mode and the comment print mode are switched alternately each time the mode switching key is pressed.

As the characters and figures for creating the comment, simple figures such as numbers, circles, triangles, squares and diamonds, alphabets, katakana, hiragana, kanji, etc. are prepared. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that in order to input these characters and figures, the function of a normal word processor having a kana / kanji conversion function may be installed in the control unit 18.

The comment creating section 29 creates comment image data, and includes a character generator (hereinafter referred to as CG) 31 and a RAM 32. A dot pattern of characters and figures that can be input as a comment is written in the CG 31, and the control unit 18 sets U
When the comment data is input from I28, the dot pattern corresponding to the input data is read from the CG 31 and expanded in the RAM 32. RAM32 by this
The image data of the comment is formed in. Although the size of the dot pattern of letters and numbers is natural that the same may be set appropriately, as described above, wherein those one-line vertical size of the character string of comments that are made with H _D And

The image data of the comment formed in the RAM 32 is transferred to the image combining unit 23 under the control of the control unit 18 and combined with the image data from the memory 16. When reading the comment image data from the RAM 32, the control unit 18 naturally reads the comment image data at a timing such that the comment print data is set to the comment print position.

The parts of the video printer 10 shown in FIG. 1 have been described above. Next, the operation of the user and the operation of the parts of the video printer 10 at that time will be described.

First, the case where the normal print mode is selected will be described. When printing a video image in the normal print mode, the video output terminal of the VTR is connected to the external video input terminal 11 of the video printer 10, and
The monitor 2 is connected to the external image output terminal 21 of the video printer 10.
Connect two. Then, when the VTR 12 is set to the reproducing state in this state, the NTSC output from the VTR 12 is output.
The signal is taken into the Y / C separation circuit 13 via the external image input terminal 11 of the video printer 10, and is separated into a luminance signal (Y) and a color signal (C) here. The luminance signal (Y) and the color signal (C) are converted by the decoder 14 into three primary color signals of yellow, magenta and cyan.
The three primary color signals are converted into digital signals by the A / D converter 15 and sent to the switch 17.

This video image is sent as it is to the D / A converter 19 via the switch 17, and the image being reproduced is displayed on the monitor 22 connected to the external video output terminal 21 via the encoder 20.

When the screen to be printed appears while checking the image on the monitor 22, the freeze key of the UI 28 is operated. When the freeze key is operated, the image data of the video image for one frame at that time is written in the memory 16, and this image data is read from the memory 16 and sent to the image synthesizing unit 23.

At this time, since the control unit 18 recognizes that the normal print mode is set, it instructs the image composition unit 23 to set the size of the image to the maximum size. As a result, the image synthesizing unit 23 performs the above-described processing to convert the size of the image to the maximum size and outputs the maximum size.

At this time, the image synthesizing unit 23 is controlled by the control unit 18 so as to output the image data to the switch 17 side, and the switch 17 controls the image synthesizing unit 2
Since it is switched to the 3 side, the image data output from the image synthesizing unit 23 is the same as the switch 17 and the D / A converter 1.
9. Since the image is supplied to the monitor 22 via the encoder 20, the image converted into the maximum size is displayed on the screen of the monitor 22.

In this state, when the print key of the UI 28 is operated, the control unit 18 controls the image synthesizing unit 23 so as to output the image data to the line memory 24 side. Therefore, the image synthesizing unit 23 creates the image data. The image data of the maximum size is one line of image data read out and written in the line memory 24. This line memory 24
Image data is read out from the printer under the control of the control unit 18 and sent to the head drive unit 25. Head drive unit 25
Drives the thermal head 26 based on the image data for one line.

To drive the thermal head 26, first, when one line of yellow image data is supplied, the yellow thermosensitive coloring layer of the recording paper 50 is heated to form a yellow image.
Record each line. The portion on which the yellow image is recorded is irradiated with ultraviolet rays of a predetermined wavelength by a yellow ultraviolet lamp to be optically fixed.

After the optical fixing of the recording of the yellow image, the recording paper 50 faces the thermal head 26, and the thermal recording of the magenta image is started. As a result, the magenta thermosensitive coloring layer of the recording paper 50 is thermally recorded line by line, and after the recording is completed, it is optically fixed by the magenta ultraviolet lamp. Finally,
The cyan thermosensitive coloring layer of the recording paper 50 is thermally recorded line by line by the image data of cyan.

When the three frame sequential recording is completed in this way, the recording paper 50 is sent out and discharged from the discharge port 34 to the tray 35.

The print obtained at this time is, for example, as shown in FIG.
As shown in A, since the video image is printed on the recording paper 50 in the maximum size as indicated by 55, the margin is minimized, the recording paper 50 can be used to the maximum, and the image is powerful. That is clear.

Next, the case where the comment print mode is selected will be described. The user's operation until the screen to be printed is selected by the freeze key of the UI 28 and the operation of each unit of the video printer 10 at that time are the same as those described above.

When the user operates the mode switching key to select the comment print mode while the frozen image is displayed on the screen of the monitor 22,
The control unit 18 recognizes that the comment print mode is specified, sets the size of the image to the maximum size with respect to the image synthesis unit 23, and further sets one character line below the image of the maximum size image data. Instruct to delete only minutes H _D. As a result, the image synthesizing unit 23 performs the above-described processing, and the lower side of the image of the maximum size as shown in FIG.
Image data of a size in which only character lines H _D are deleted is created and output.

At this time, if the user operates the UI 28 to input a comment "ABCDE", the control section 18 sets each dot pattern of the comment to C.
The image data is read out from G31 and expanded in the RAM 32, and the image data is read out from the RAM 32 at a timing corresponding to the print position. As a result, the image data of the comment is transferred to the image synthesizing unit 23 and synthesized with the created image data.

Since the image data in which the comment is combined is output from the image combining section 23 to the switch 17, the monitor 22 displays the image in which the selected video image and the comment are combined. .

The user observes the screen of the monitor 22 and operates the print key if this is sufficient. However, the subsequent steps are the same as in the case described above, and the description thereof will be omitted. It is clear that the print obtained at this time is as shown in FIG. 3B, for example. Even in this print, the recording paper 50 is used to the maximum, and since the video image is larger than the conventional one, it is a powerful image.

The first embodiment has been described above.
Next, a second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment has the same overall configuration as that shown in FIG.
The processing in the image composition unit 23 is different. In the following, different points from the first embodiment will be described, and overlapping description will be omitted.

First, the operation in the normal print mode is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, and the image synthesizing unit 23 controls the image size of the image data transferred from the memory 16 under the control of the control unit 18. Convert to maximum size and output.

However, the operation in the comment print mode is different from that in the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the size of the image data from the memory 16 is once converted to the maximum size, and then the lower one character line H _D is cut off. For example, the image data for one character line below the video image is truncated and not printed.

Therefore, in the second embodiment, all the frozen video images are printed even in the comment print mode. As a process for this, with respect to the image data transferred from the memory 16, while keeping the ratio of the vertical size and the horizontal size constant, a region excluding the lower one character line H _D of the maximum size. ,
That vertical is (H ₀ -H _D), may be subjected to processing for converting a size that fits best next is the region of the size of W _0.

[0059] Specifically, for example, the size of the images captured in the now memory 16 vertical V _H, and a transverse V _W,
If it is converted into a video image having a size of V _H ′ in the vertical direction and V _W ′ in the horizontal direction, V _H ′, V _W ′ are V _H ′ / V _W ′ = V _H / V _W (1) _{V H '= H 0 -H D} ... may be so as to satisfy (2).

From this, in this case, the memory 16
Respectively vertical and horizontal images captured in (H ₀ -H _D) /
It can be seen that it is sufficient to reduce or enlarge V _H × 100 (%). Since H ₀ , H _D , and V _H are all defined values, it is obvious that such reduction processing or enlargement processing can be performed.

After performing the above processing, the image synthesizing section 23 synthesizes the image data and the comment image data and outputs the synthesized image data. Others are the same as those in the first embodiment described above.

According to the second embodiment, in the comment print mode, for example, a print with the video image 58 and the comment 59 as shown in FIG. 4 can be obtained. In this print, the width of the video image 58 printed on the recording paper 50 is narrower than that in the first embodiment, but the selected video image is printed in the largest possible size. The utilization rate of the paper 50 has been greatly improved, and since the video image is larger than the conventional one, it is a powerful image.

The second embodiment has been described above.
Next, a third embodiment will be described. The third embodiment is a combination of the above-described first and second embodiments. That is, depending on the content of the video image,
There may be a case where the lower one character line may be cut off as in the first embodiment, but as in the second embodiment, the entire video image is printed even if the print image size is slightly reduced. Sometimes you want to.

Therefore, the user can arbitrarily perform the same operation as in the first embodiment or the second embodiment depending on the content of the video image.

In order to do so, for example, when the comment print mode is selected, the mode is converted to the maximum size as in the first embodiment, and the lower one character line is cut out (see below). , The first mode) and a mode in which the video image is printed in the maximum size in the area excluding the lower one character line of the maximum size as in the second embodiment (hereinafter referred to as the second mode). The UI 28 may be provided with a key or a menu for selecting either of the above.

As a result, when the first mode is selected by the UI 28, the control unit 18 and the image synthesizing unit 23 perform the operations described in the above-described first embodiment, so that the printing as shown in FIG. 2 is performed. Is obtained and the second mode is selected, the control unit 18 and the image synthesizing unit 23 use the above-described second mode.
Since the operation described in the above embodiment is performed, a print as shown in FIG. 4 can be obtained.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments and various modifications can be made. For example, in the above embodiment, the video printer for printing an image on the color thermosensitive recording paper on which the thermosensitive coloring layer is laminated has been described. However, a sublimation type thermal transfer recording type thermal printer using an ink sheet or another type of video printer. Can also be applied to.

Although the line printer has been described in the above embodiment, the present invention can be applied to a serial printer.

[0069]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the selected video image is printed in the largest possible size with or without a comment, which is powerful. It is possible to print an image.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment of a video printer of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an operation in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a print obtained according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a print obtained according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a print obtained by a conventional video printer.

FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a problem of a conventional video printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... video printer, 16 ... memory, 18 ... control unit,
23 ... Image synthesizing unit, 28 ... UI, 29 ... Comment creating unit, 31 ... Character generator, 32 ... RAM.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claims: 1. Input means for inputting characters or figures and various settings relating to printing of a video image; and for a recording paper on which the size of the video image is to be printed when printing only the captured video image. Image size is determined to be the maximum printable size, and when the captured video image and the characters or figures input by the input means are combined and printed, the video image size is set to a predetermined size smaller than the maximum size. Means and in the case of printing only the captured video image, the video image output from the image size determination means is output as it is, and the captured video image and the character or figure input by the input means are combined and printed. In some cases, the video image output from the image size determination means and the character input from the input means Video printer characterized by comprising synthesizing means for synthesizing and outputting the figure, and a printing means for printing the output video image from the synthesis means.