JPH10181142A - Printing system and printing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To print these thumbnail images without necessitating a mass storage memory on the digital camera side even when a lot of images are taken continuously. SOLUTION: Images taken by a digital camera 100 every set picture taking period of time are stored in a memory while being rewritten successively to produce these thumbnail images before being sent to the printer 200. In the printer 200, the thumbnail images are stored in a memory in turn, and when a total of the sheets reach a set number of the printing sheets, they are printed on printing paper 202 collectively. The aforementioned picture taking interval period of time and a number of printing sheets can be set by operating a key input part of the printer 200. As such, by simple operation on the printer side 200, a great number of images can be taken continuously; besides, a mass storage memory is not required at the digital camera 100, and these thumbnail images can be printed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printing system for receiving and printing an image captured by a digital camera, and more particularly to a printing system suitable for printing reduced images of a plurality of images obtained by continuous shooting. The present invention relates to a system and a printing device used in the system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Hitherto, a printing system has been developed which is directly connected to a digital camera without using a personal computer (personal computer), receives image data photographed by the digital camera, and prints the data on recording paper.

In this type of printing system, for example, when a continuous image is photographed at a predetermined interval time by a digital camera, the captured image data is sequentially stored in an image memory in the camera, and these image data are thinned out. Thus, thumbnail image data (reduced image data) is generated, sent out to the printer in order, and the printer collectively prints the thumbnail image data.

In a printer directly connected to a digital camera, image data captured by the digital camera and stored in an image memory is sequentially displayed on, for example, a viewfinder provided in the digital camera, and the selected image data is selected. Controls such as printing after receiving image data transfer,
There is a method in which remote control is performed from the printer side.

[0005]

As described above, in the conventional printing system, all the continuously captured image data is stored in the image memory of the digital camera, and then the thumbnail image data (reduced image data) is stored. ) Was created and sent to the printer. Therefore, there is a problem that a large-capacity memory for storing a plurality of image data is required in the digital camera.

In the case of continuously photographing with a digital camera and printing thumbnail images (reduced images) of a plurality of images photographed by the digital camera on one sheet of recording paper, first, the photographing is performed continuously with the digital camera. An instruction to generate a thumbnail image of the image data stored in the image memory of the digital camera by remote control from the printer side,
There is a problem that a troublesome operation is required, such as instructing transmission of the generated thumbnail image.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and even when a large number of images are continuously shot, a thumbnail image of those images can be printed without requiring a large-capacity memory on the digital camera side. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system that can perform printing.

Further, the present invention does not require a cumbersome operation such as an instruction to generate a thumbnail image to a digital camera or an instruction to transmit the thumbnail image. It is an object of the present invention to provide a printing apparatus that can perform the printing.

Further, the present invention determines the identity of thumbnail images sent back and forth from a digital camera,
An object of the present invention is to provide a printing apparatus capable of preventing useless printing.

[0010]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

(1) The present invention is a printing system that prints an image continuously captured by an image recording device by a printing device, wherein the image recording device sets an image from an external device at every shooting interval time set from an external device. Image capturing means for capturing the image data of the number of captured still images, temporary storage means for temporarily storing one image data captured by the image capturing means while sequentially rewriting the image data, and image data stored in the temporary storage means. The image processing apparatus includes a generation unit that generates reduced image data of image data, and an output unit that outputs the reduced image data generated by the generation unit to the printing apparatus.

[0011] On the other hand, the printing apparatus has a storage means for storing reduced image data output from the output means of the image recording apparatus, the number of reduced image data stored in the storage means, and the set photographing time. Judging means for judging whether or not the number of shots coincides with each other. When the judging means judges that the number of the reduced image data and the set number of shots match, the reduction stored in the storage means is performed. Printing means for printing all of the image data on recording paper.

According to such a printing system, the image recording apparatus (digital camera) performs continuous photographing at every photographing interval time set from the outside, and sequentially rewrites image data obtained by the photographing in the temporary storage means. While the image data is stored, reduced image data of the image data is generated and sent to the printing apparatus. The printing apparatus stores the reduced image data sent from the image recording apparatus in a storage unit, and performs printing collectively when the number of the reduced image data stored in the storage unit matches the set number of photographed images. Thus, even if a large number of images are continuously photographed, thumbnail images of those images can be printed without requiring a large-capacity memory on the digital camera side.

(2) The present invention is connected to an image recording apparatus which receives a photographing request, captures image data of a still image, generates reduced image data of the image data, and sends out the reduced image data. A printing device, a setting unit for setting an image capturing interval time and the number of images to be captured by the image recording device, and a request for the image capturing request to the image recording device for each of the image capturing interval times set by the setting unit. A control device for transmitting a control signal to the image recording device, an image memory for storing the reduced image data sequentially transmitted from the image recording device according to the control signal of the photographing request transmitted by the control device, Determining means for determining whether or not the number of the reduced image data stored in the image memory and the number of images set by the setting means match; Until it is determined by the means that the number of the reduced image data matches the set number of photographed images, the reduced image data stored in the image memory is printed on the recording paper in a unit printable on the recording paper. And printing means for performing the printing.

According to such a printing device, when the photographing interval time and the number of images are set on the printing device side, a control signal is sent to the image recording device (digital camera) for each photographing interval time. In the image recording apparatus, photographing is performed by the input timing of the control signal, and a process of generating reduced image data of the photographed image is performed, and this is transmitted to the printing apparatus. When the number of reduced image data sequentially sent from the image recording apparatus reaches the set number of images, the printing apparatus prints them at once. This makes it possible to easily and continuously shoot a large number of images and print them without the need for cumbersome operations such as an instruction to generate a thumbnail image to the digital camera and an instruction to transmit the thumbnail image.

(3) In the printing apparatus, the comparing means for comparing the identity of the reduced image data stored in the image memory with the reduced image data received from the image recording apparatus, and the comparison of the comparing means A writing control unit that controls writing of the reduced image data to the image memory according to the result.

According to such a printing apparatus, the identity of reduced image data sent before and after from the image recording apparatus (digital camera) is determined. As a result, if there is identity, that is, if the reduced image data is the same as the previously received image data, it is possible to prevent useless printing by not writing the image data to the image memory.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external view illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This system includes a digital camera 100 and a printer 200,
Images captured continuously from the digital camera 100 are printed by the printer 200.

The digital camera 100 includes a camera body 1
01 and a lens unit 102 provided on a side surface thereof
Consists of The camera body 101 has a color LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) for confirming the captured image.
19 and a key input unit 13 having various keys necessary for operating the camera.

Keys provided on the key input unit 13 include, for example, a power ON / OFF key, an operation mode setting key for switching and setting between a photographing mode and a reproduction mode,
There are a shutter button for operating a shutter, a ± key for operating to sequentially display captured images in a viewfinder in a playback mode, and the like. The lens unit 102 is a portion provided with a lens for photographing, and is rotatably attached to the camera body 101.

On the other hand, the printer 200 is connected to the digital camera 100 via the cable 30. The printer 200 has a thermal print head and an ink ribbon for color printing on which three color inks of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) are applied in a sub-investigation direction of the print head. The print head is driven while cueing the three color ink areas of the ink ribbon, and the three color inks are transferred onto the recording paper in a superimposed manner.

The printer body 20 of the printer 200
1, a key input unit 24 provided with various keys for remotely controlling the digital camera 100 is provided. The keys provided on the key input unit 24 include, for example, a power key, a display instruction key for sequentially displaying image data stored in the image memory 9 of the digital camera 100, a selection key for selecting an image to be displayed on the screen, and a thumbnail image. A thumbnail key for instructing the generation of the image, the selected image and the thumbnail image are transferred for printing, and the
In addition to a print key for instructing printing at 0, a continuous shooting key 24a for further instructing the start of continuous shooting of the digital camera 100, and a data input for inputting a continuous shooting interval time and the number of shots. A key 24b is provided.

Reference numeral 202 denotes a recording sheet, which is set in the printer main unit 201. An image photographed by the digital camera 100 or a thumbnail image (reduced image) of the image is printed on the recording paper 202. In addition,
Here, the number of thumbnail images that can be printed on one recording paper 202 is, for example, 100.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a circuit configuration of the digital camera 100 and the printer 200 in the embodiment. In the digital camera 100, 1 is a lens, 2
Denotes a CCD (Charge Coupled Device). The timing generator 3 generates a timing signal for controlling a driving circuit 4 for driving the CCD 2. Drive circuit 4
Drives the CCD 2 based on a timing signal issued from the timing generator 3. CCD2 is
The image signal is converted into an analog electric signal and output via the amplifier 5.

The A / D converter 6 converts an analog video signal into a digital signal. The DRAM 7 temporarily stores the captured digital video signal. The image signal of the thumbnail image generated from the captured digital image signal is also temporarily stored. FIG. 3 shows the relationship between image data and thumbnail image data.

FIG. 3A shows a normal image dot, and FIG.
Indicates a thumbnail image dot. In normal image data, the luminance data is 240 × 480 dots and the chrominance data is 120 × 160 dots, whereas in the thumbnail image, the luminance data is reduced to 36 × 52 dots and the chrominance data is reduced to 18 × 26 dots. .

The compression / decompression unit 8 compresses / decompresses the fetched digital image signal by encoding / decoding. The image memory 9 is a flash memory for storing a compressed image signal. FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the image memory 9.

FIG. 4A shows a conventional memory, and FIG. 4B shows a photographing-specific memory according to the present invention. Normally, there is a storage area 9a for 96 image data, but here a dedicated area 9 for temporarily storing image data during continuous shooting.
b. One piece of image data is stored in this dedicated area 9b in order.

The ROM 10 stores a program for controlling the digital camera 100. RAM11
Temporarily stores, for example, intermediate data of arithmetic processing for control. The CPU 12 operates based on a program stored in the ROM 10, uses a work area of the RAM 11, and is input via an input operation signal of each operation key input from the key input unit 13 or the I / O boat 14. Each unit is controlled based on a control signal from the printer 200.

The key input unit 13 has a power ON / OFF switch.
Keys, an operation mode setting key for switching between the shooting mode and the playback mode, a shutter button for operating the shutter, and a ± key for operating the viewfinder to sequentially display the shot images in the playback mode are provided. I have.

The video signal generator 15 generates a digital video signal by adding a synchronization signal or the like to the digital image signal. The VRAM 16 is a memory that stores a digital video signal. The D / A converter 17 is connected to the video signal generator 1
5 is converted into an analog video signal.

The color LCD 19 drives a liquid crystal based on an analog video signal output from the D / A converter 17 via the amplifier 18, and displays an image. And I /
The O boat 14 is an interface for inputting and outputting image signals and control signals converted into serial signals.

Briefly explaining these operations, when recording a photographed image, the CPU 12 causes the timing generator 3 to generate an image fetch signal by operating the shutter button of the key input unit 13 and to output the CC signal.
The image signal is fetched from D2 and is temporarily stored in the DRAM 7. The imaging signal from the CCD 2 stored in the DRAM 7 has passed through the color filter of the CCD 2 and has, for example, color components such as “Ye”, “Cy”, and “Gr”. A luminance signal generation process and a color signal generation process are performed on the imaging signal stored in the DRAM 7 to generate a luminance signal and a color signal. The luminance signal and the chrominance signal are transferred to the compression / decompression unit 8 for data compression, and are stored in the image memory 9.

When reproducing the recorded image, the CPU 12 reads a predetermined compressed image signal (a compressed luminance signal and a compressed chrominance signal) from the image memory 9 and sets it in the compression / decompression section 8 by setting the reproduction mode. Transfer and the compression / decompression unit 8
The digital image signal composed of the luminance signal and the chrominance signal decompressed in step (1) is transferred to the video signal generator 15. The video signal generator 15 generates a digital video signal by adding a synchronization signal to the digital image signal, writes the digital video signal in the VRAM 16, and displays the digital video signal on the color LCD 19.

On the other hand, the printer 200 includes a CPU 20 and
An image memory 22, a decompression unit 23, a key input unit 24, a timer 25,
An I / O unit 26, a ROM 27, a RAM 28, and a color printer unit 29 are provided.

The printer 200 is connected to the digital camera 100 via the cable 30 and sends various commands to the camera in this state.
And receives and prints the image data.

The key input unit 24 is provided with various keys for remotely controlling the digital camera 100 when the printer 200 is connected to the digital camera 100 and performs printing. For example, power key, LCD1 of camera
9, a display instruction key for sequentially displaying image data stored in the image memory 9, a selection key for selecting an image to be displayed on the screen, a thumbnail key for instructing generation of a thumbnail image, and printing of a selected image or a thumbnail image Is a print key for instructing to transfer the data and print it with a printer.

By these key operations, the command signal is sent to the digital camera 100, and the printer 200 displays image data and its image data for displaying a desired photographed image, generating a thumbnail image, or printing on the printer 200. Transfer of thumbnail image data can be remotely controlled.

In the present invention, a continuous photographing key 24a for instructing the start of continuous photographing of the digital camera 100 and a data input key 24b for inputting an interval time between continuous photographing and the number of photographed images are provided. When continuous shooting is set by operating the continuous shooting key 24a and the data input key 24b, a thumbnail key for instructing generation of a thumbnail image as described above or printing for instructing transfer of a thumbnail image is set. No key operation is required.

The expander 23 expands compressed image data and thumbnail image data sent from the digital camera 100 based on the well-known MPEG standard. Image memory 2
Reference numeral 2 stores print data for one sheet of three colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) converted from image data or thumbnail image data temporarily stored in the RAM 28. The RAM 28 has a work area for arithmetic processing performed by the CPU 20 and a print buffer memory area for printing.

The color printer section 29 can perform full-color printing using an ink ribbon for color printing.
A printing mechanism including a thermal print head, a transport mechanism for the recording paper 202, and the like are provided. The ink ribbon is coated with three color inks of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) in the sub-search direction of the print head. The print head is driven while cueing is performed, and the three colors of ink are transferred onto the recording paper 202 in an overlapping manner.

The ROM 27 stores operation programs such as communication processing and printing processing by the CPU 20. Also,
The timer 25 is for counting the interval time between continuous shootings. The I / O unit 26 is connected to the cable 30
The digital camera 100 is connected to the I / O unit 14 on the digital camera 100 side via the.

Briefly describing these operations, the printer 200 receives compressed image data or thumbnail image data sent from the digital camera 100 in response to the operation of the key input unit 24. This compressed image data or thumbnail image data is
After being temporarily stored in the AM 28, it is decompressed by the decompression unit 23. The CPU 20 creates one print data of three colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) from the decompressed image data or the thumbnail image data in the RAM 28 and stores the print data in the image memory 22. To be stored. The color printer unit 29 includes the image memory 22
The image data or the thumbnail image data is printed on the recording paper 202 by scanning the color ink ribbon in the order of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) based on the print data stored in.

Next, the digital camera 100 and the printer 2
00 is connected to the printer 200 to output images continuously shot by the digital camera 100 to the printer 200.
This will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of a printing process at the time of continuous photographing in the embodiment. FIG. 5 (a)
FIG. 2 shows the processing on the printer 200 side, and FIG. 2B shows the processing on the digital camera 100 side. On the printer 200 side, a data input key 24 provided on the key input unit 24 is provided.
By setting the interval time of continuous shooting and the number of shots through b, and operating the continuous shooting key 24a, continuous shooting in the digital camera 100 starts.

Here, as shown in FIG.
When the continuous shooting interval time and the number of shots are set by operating the data input key 24b of No. 4 (step A11), the CPU 20 of the printer 200 sets the continuous shooting interval time in the timer 25, and the timer 25 When the counted time has elapsed (Y in step A12)
es), and outputs a control signal for the photographing request to the digital camera 100 (step A13).

On the other hand, on the digital camera 100 side, I / O
By inputting the control signal via the O section 14 (step B11), image data of a still image is captured at the input timing (step B12). In this case, in response to the input of the control signal, the CPU 12 causes the timing generator 3 to generate an image capturing signal,
According to the image capturing signal, an image signal is captured from the CCD 2 and the DRAM 7 is temporarily stored in the DRAM 7.

When the image data is captured, the CPU 12
Performs a luminance signal generation process and a chrominance signal generation process on the image data, compresses the data by the compression / decompression unit 8 (step B13), and stores it in the image memory 9 (step B14). At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, one image data (compressed data) is stored in the dedicated area 9b of the image memory 9 while being sequentially rewritten.

Subsequently, the CPU 12 generates thumbnail image data by reducing the image data stored in the image memory 9 to a predetermined size as shown in FIG. 3 (step B15). Then, the CPU 12 compresses the thumbnail image data by the compression / decompression unit 8 (step B1).
6) Send the compressed thumbnail image data to the printer 200.

When the printer 200 receives the compressed thumbnail image data through the I / O unit 26 (Yes in step A14), it stores it in the RAM 28 (step A17). At this time, the CPU 20 compares the received image data with the previous image data (step A15). If the received image data matches the previous image data (Yes in step A16), the CPU 20 ignores the image data, Start the next shooting. If the received image data does not match the previous image data (No in step A16), the CPU 20 stores the image data in the RAM 28 for printing.

As a method of comparing the previous image, a comparison may be made on a pixel-by-pixel basis, but, for example, a wide range of dots may be compared, and if several dots do not match, they may be ignored. As a result, it is possible to print only completely different image data without any image change.

When the thumbnail image data obtained from the digital camera 100 is stored in the RAM 28, the CPU 2
0 checks the number of thumbnail images currently stored in the RAM 28, and checks whether the number has reached the number of images set at the start of the continuous shooting (step A).
18). The information on the number of shots set at the start of the continuous shooting is assumed to be stored in a predetermined area of the RAM 28, for example.

As a result, if the number of thumbnail images in the RAM 28 has not yet reached the number of shots (step A1)
Next, the CPU 20 compares the number with the number of prints (step A19). The number of prints is one recording paper 20
2 is the number of thumbnails that can be printed, for example, 100
It is a sheet. If the number of thumbnail images in the RAM 28 has not reached this number of prints (N in step A19)
o), returning to the process from step A12,
0 outputs a control signal of a photographing request to the digital camera 100 every photographing time set in the timer 25, and repeats the same processing as described above.

As described above, the control signal of the photographing request is transmitted from the printer 200 to the digital camera 100 at each photographing time set at the start of the continuous photographing, and the digital camera 100 performs the photographing according to the control signal. A series of processing such as taking in an image and sending the compressed data of the thumbnail image to the printer 200 is repeated for the number of images set at the start of the continuous imaging.

When the number of thumbnail images in the RAM 28 reaches the number of shots (Yes in step A18)
s) The CPU 20 decompresses the thumbnail image data for the number of images stored in the RAM 28 by the decompression unit 23 (step A20). Then, the CPU 20 creates one sheet of print data in the image memory 22 in the order of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) from the decompressed thumbnail image data. The print job is handed over to start printing (step A21).

If the number of thumbnail images in the RAM 28 reaches the number of prints before reaching the number of shots (Yes in step A19), the CPU 20 expands the thumbnail image data for the number of prints at that time. 23 (step A20), the print data is converted into one print data of three colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) and stored in the image memory 22. Starts printing (step A21).

In this manner, the digital camera 100 can obtain thumbnail images for the number of shots simply by setting the interval time of continuous shooting and the number of shots on the printer 200 side. In this case, the digital camera 100 stores the image data in the dedicated area 9 of the image memory 9 in accordance with the control signal transmitted from the printer 200 at intervals of the continuous shooting.
Since the image memory 9 can be stored while being sequentially rewritten, the image memory 9 does not become full even if a large number of images are continuously shot.

Further, the printer 200 does not need to perform a troublesome operation such as giving a thumbnail image generation instruction or a transmission instruction of the generated thumbnail image. Then, this can be printed on the recording paper 202.

[0058]

As described above, according to the present invention, image data of a digital camera is sequentially rewritten into an image memory in accordance with a control signal transmitted from a printer at intervals of continuous photographing, and a thumbnail image of the image is converted to a printer. , The image memory of the digital camera does not become full even if a large number of images are continuously shot. Therefore, thumbnail images of these images can be printed without requiring a large-capacity memory on the digital camera side.

Further, since the printer can obtain the thumbnail images for the number of shots from the digital camera only by setting the interval time between continuous shootings and the number of shots, it is possible to obtain a thumbnail image generation instruction to the digital camera as in the prior art. It is possible to easily and continuously shoot a large number of images without any troublesome operation such as a transmission instruction of the thumbnail image, and print it.

Further, the identity of the thumbnail images sent back and forth from the digital camera is determined, and if the thumbnail images are identical, they are not written in the memory of the printer, so that printing waste can be eliminated. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view illustrating a configuration of a printing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary block diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of the digital camera and the printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an exemplary view showing a relationship between image data and thumbnail image data in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view showing the configuration of an image memory of the digital camera according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary flowchart showing the operation of print processing during continuous shooting in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 digital camera 101 camera body 102 lens unit 200 printer 201 printer body 202 recording paper 13 key input unit 19 color LCD 24 key input unit 24a continuous shooting key 24b data input Key 30 ... Cable

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A printing system for printing an image continuously captured by an image recording device by a printing device, wherein the image recording device is externally set at every shooting interval time set externally. Photographing means for taking in image data of still images of the number of pictures taken; temporary storage means for temporarily storing one image data taken in by the photographing means while sequentially rewriting; image data stored in the temporary storage means Generating means for generating reduced image data, and output means for outputting the reduced image data generated by the generating means to the printing apparatus, wherein the printing apparatus outputs the reduced image data from the output means of the image recording apparatus. Storage means for storing the reduced image data stored in the storage means, and the number of the reduced image data stored in the storage means matches the set number of photographed images. Determining means for determining whether or not the number of the reduced image data and the set number of photographed images coincide with each other. A printing system, comprising: printing means for printing on recording paper. 2. Receiving a photographing request, capturing image data of a still image, generating reduced image data of the image data,
What is claimed is: 1. A printing apparatus connected to an image recording apparatus for transmitting said reduced image data, comprising: setting means for setting a photographing interval time and the number of images to be photographed by said image recording apparatus; and a photographing interval time set by said setting means. In each case, a control device for transmitting the control signal of the photographing request to the image recording device to the image recording device, and in order from the image recording device according to the control signal of the photographing request transmitted by the control device. An image memory for storing the reduced image data to be transmitted, and a determining unit for determining whether the number of the reduced image data stored in the image memory matches the number of images set by the setting unit. Until the determination means determines that the number of the reduced image data and the set number of photographed images match, the unit is printed in a unit printable on recording paper. Printing apparatus, wherein a reduced image data stored in the image memory and a printing means for printing on the recording paper Te. 3. A comparing means for comparing the reduced image data stored in the image memory with the reduced image data received from the image recording apparatus, and the image data is transferred to the image memory in accordance with the comparison result of the comparing means. 3. The printing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a writing control unit that controls writing of the reduced image data.