JPH10206980A - Printer processor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To continue automatic collating operation even in the case of photographic film where images are all missed by providing a means deciding that the images of the photographic film acquired by a scanner device are all missed and a means forming a pseudo image instead of the missed image. SOLUTION: When an image information decision part 58 decides that the negative film of one order read by the scanner device 21 is the film where the images are all missed, a central control part 50 transmits an instruction to a film carrying control part 5C, so that the negative film is restored to the front side of the scanner device 21 to prepare for reading the film again. Simultaneously, it transmits an instruction to a light quantity control part 51 so that the light quantity of the light source 21a of the scanner device 21 may be reduced. By performing scanning with small light quantity, image data read from the negative film where the images are all missed again is treated as the pseudo image having specified density. The negative film is transferred to a collating stage similarly to other normal negative film without performing the exposure processing of the images.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a printer processor having a scanner for checking an image on a photographic film and an exposure device for printing the checked image on a photographic material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional printer processor, a color image density of a negative film is adjusted to an optimum density by using a light control filter and a color image is printed on photographic paper. The reading and the light control filter and the irradiation time are adjusted based on the read data. At this time, if the scanner reads all the negative films, effective image data cannot be obtained, and it is not necessary to print the negative films. Therefore, the negative films are discharged from the film transport line before entering the exposure unit. This is because if there is no effective read data for one negative film at all, the control structure is such that the processing at the exposure unit cannot be performed, so that all the negative films are discharged halfway.

[0003]

In a recent printer processor, a photographic film having been subjected to exposure processing is cut into a piece negative if necessary, inserted into a negative sheet, and a finished print which has been subjected to exposure and development processing. They are automatically assembled, packed in DP bags with a preset order number, and shipped. This work of combining the photographic film and the finished print is called a collation work, and includes an order number or an ID determined corresponding thereto.
This is done based on the number. If the photographic film is removed from the film transport line in the middle of the processing process due to all the above-mentioned snakes or the like, automatic collation work becomes impossible and manual collation by an operator is required. In view of such problems, an object of the present invention is to eliminate the possibility that even a photographic film of all sunscreens is sent out to the exposure section in the same manner as a normal photographic film, and the photographic film is not discharged halfway from the film transport line. Another object of the present invention is to provide a printer processor in which an automatic matching operation is continued.

[0004]

To achieve the above object, a scanner device for acquiring an image of a photographic film,
With an exposure device for printing an image of a photographic film on a photographic photosensitive material, in the printer processor according to the present invention, an image information determination unit that determines that the image of the photographic film obtained by the scanner device is all sunscreen, A pseudo image generating means for generating a pseudo image instead of the snake image is provided.

In this configuration, when it is determined that the image of the photographic film read by the scanner device, for example, the photographic film is all snake, a pseudo image is generated in place of the snake image and this pseudo image is generated. The image is read from the photographic film. As a result, the photographic film determined to be all missing is considered to have the above-described pseudo image, so that the photographic film passes through the exposure unit without being discharged from the film transport line and is required in the same manner as normal photographic film. Is cut into piece negatives, inserted into negative sheets, and packed into DP bags. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the order of the photographic films in the collation operation from being out of order even for the actual photographic films of all the drip.

In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, as a simple method for generating a pseudo-image on an all-sunken photographic film, the pseudo-image generating means comprises a pseudo-image by reducing a light amount of a light source of a scanner device. Generate an image. When the photographic film judged to be all missing is read again by the scanner device, by reducing the light amount of the light source of the scanner device, the CCD of the scanner device is assumed to have an image that blocks light to some extent on the photographic film. (Charge Coupled Device) Sends the image data read by the imaging unit in response to the image information determination unit. Since the image information determination unit does not determine that the image data is at least missing, the photographic film is not discharged from the film transport line.

[0007] As a simple method for generating a pseudo image, in still another embodiment of the present invention, the pseudo image generating means generates the pseudo image by controlling a CCD imaging unit of a scanner device. When the photographic film for which all the snakes are determined is read by the scanner again, the sensitivity is reduced by controlling the CCD image pickup unit of the scanner, and an image signal is sent out as if there is some image even if the snake is missing. To do. As a result, the image information determination unit does not determine that the image data is at least missing, so that the photographic film is not discharged from the film transport line.

As another preferred embodiment of the pseudo image generating means, it may be proposed to include an image information rewriting unit for generating a pseudo image. This is because, when the image information determining unit determines that the corresponding photographic film is all the missing from the image data read by the CCD imaging unit of the scanner device, the image information rewriting unit generates a pseudo image, and
The image data read by the imaging unit is replaced with the pseudo image data. As a result, the image information determination unit no longer determines that the corresponding photographic film is all missing, so that the corresponding photographic film is not discharged from the film transport line.

In any case, a photographic film having a pseudo image as described above, that is, the same collation operation as that of a normal photographic film is performed even though the order of the photographic film is, in fact, all snakes. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments with reference to the drawings.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall structure of a printer processor 1 according to the present invention. The photographic paper 3 is transported along the photographic paper transport line 3L. The printer processor 1 includes a negative film supply unit 10 and an image on the negative film 2 which are stored in a paper magazine 4.
An exposure unit 20 for printing on photographic paper 3 drawn from
A developing section 30 for developing the photographic paper 3 exposed in the exposure section 20; a drying section 40 for drying the photographic paper 3 developed in the developing section 30; A print discharge unit 60A that cuts the print paper to a length and prints the cut photographic paper 3 to a predetermined length (referred to as a print 3) and a negative film 2 used in the exposure unit 20 are printed. A negative film discharging unit 60B for cutting, inserting into a negative sheet if necessary, and discharging;
A collation transport in which the negative film 2 of one order loaded from the negative film discharge unit 60B and the corresponding print of one order loaded from the print discharge unit 60A are collated and combined as a finished product, and then transported to a finished product removal position by an operator. And a conveyor mechanism 70.

The negative film supply unit 10 can be loaded with two negative reels 11 each of which is obtained by winding up to 100 negative films 2 connected by a splice tape. The negative film drawn from the negative reel 11 can be loaded. The bar code reader 12 is provided with a bar code reader 12 for reading a bar code, and a negative cutter 13 for cutting the drawn negative film 2 for each order.

As shown in FIG. 2 (the film transport line 2L and the photographic paper transport line 3L are arranged upside down as compared to FIG. 1), the exposure unit 20 Reading light source 21a, filter unit 21
b, lens unit 21c and CCD imaging unit 21
and a scanner device 21 composed of an exposure light source 22a, a light control filter 22b, a mirror tunnel 22c, a negative mask 22d, a printing lens 22e, and a shutter 22f.
2 is provided, and the negative film supply unit 10 to the exposure unit 20
And a motor 23b for driving the roller 23a to transport the negative film 2 to the negative discharge unit 60B.

The image of each frame of the negative film 2 conveyed by the rollers 23a is first read by the scanner device 21 and sent to the controller 5 whose block diagram is shown in FIG. The controller 5 obtains exposure conditions for printing the image of the negative film 2 on the photographic paper 3 based on the image information received from the scanner device 21 and conveys the frame of the negative film 2 to the position of the negative mask 22d. At this time, the light control filter 22b and the shutter 22f are controlled based on the exposure condition previously obtained, and the photographic paper 3 is exposed. Further, the controller 5 processes the image information of the negative film 2 read by the scanner device 21, and displays on the monitor 6a a simulated image of an image obtained when the printing paper 3 is printed under the obtained exposure conditions. The operator can observe the simulated image on the monitor 6a and correct the exposure conditions from the console 6b as necessary.

On the other hand, the negative film 2 which has been subjected to the exposure processing in the exposure section 20 is converted into six frames or four frames by a negative cutter 25 provided in a negative discharge section 60B disposed downstream of the exposure device 22 in the film transport direction. Each piece is cut and sent to the conveyor mechanism 70 as a plurality of negative pieces 2. Depending on the specification, the negative piece 2 is inserted into the negative sheet by a negative sheet insertion device (not shown). 70
Sent out to

Although not shown, the developing section 30 is provided with a plurality of developing tanks, and after the image on the negative film 2 is printed by the exposure section 20,
The photographic paper 3 is developed by being sequentially passed through the collection processing section 26 by a roller 24a and a motor 24b for driving the roller 24a and through a development processing tank of a development processing section 30. The photographic paper 3 after the development processing is dried in the drying unit 40, sent to the print discharge unit 60A, cut into the finished print 3 by the paper cutter 61, and sent out to the conveyor mechanism 70 by the horizontal feed conveyor 62. It is.

The conveyor mechanism 70 is of a tray conveyor type, and is provided with a plurality of trays 100 guided by a circulating guide path 80 and traveling by a drive chain (not shown). The transport line determined by the circulation guide path 80 includes a negative film loading station 71, a standby station 72, and a print loading station 73.
And a collation station 74 are formed. The circulation guide path 80 extends along the side walls of the developing unit 30 and the drying unit 40 between the negative film discharge unit 60B disposed at a lower position of the printer processor 1 and the print discharge unit 60A disposed at a higher position. ing.

At the negative film loading station 71,
The piece negative 2 of one order discharged from the negative film discharge part 60B is transferred to the film storage part 150a of the tray 100. At the standby station 72, the peace negative 2
Can be put on standby in order to match the timing at which a print 3 of one order, in which the image of the piece negative 2 loaded on the tray 100 is printed, is output from the print discharge unit 60A. At the print loading station 73, the film storage section 150 of the tray 100 is
The image of the piece negative 2 stored in a is printed 1
The print 3 of the order is transferred from the print discharge unit 60A to the print storage unit 150a of the tray 100. In the collating station 74, when the collation of the one-order piece negative 2 and the print 3 carried by the tray 100 is confirmed, the piece negative 2 and the print 3 are taken out of the tray 100 and put into a DP bag. Such a collation / eject and collation station 74 for each tray 100
In this collation station 74, the tray 100 can be stored on the orbital guideway 80, as in the standby station 72, since the delivery of the tray 100 to the tray 100 is not synchronized. Empty tray 100
Is sent to the negative film loading station 71 again.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram for explaining functions of the controller 5 relating to the present invention. The controller 5 includes a scanner control unit 5A for controlling the operation of the scanner device 21 and an exposure device 22.
The image processing unit 5B for controlling the operation of the printer processor 1 and other functions of the printer processor 1, such as a film transport controller 5C for controlling a motor 23b for the film transport line 2L and a motor 24b for the photographic paper transport line 3L. Is also provided. The central control unit 50 controls the controller 5 overall. That is, the controller 5
Basically consists of a microcomputer as the core component,
The necessary functions are realized by appropriate hardware and programs. The scanner control unit 5A controls the light amount of the light source 21a, the filter control unit 52 that controls the rotation position of the filter unit 21b configured as a rotating color filter, and the CCD filming unit 21d to control the negative film 2. Is provided with a CCD control unit 53 for acquiring the image data of.

The image processing unit 5B includes a CCD controller 5
3, an image information storage unit 54 for storing the image data sent from the image data storage unit 3, an exposure condition calculation unit 55 for obtaining an exposure condition using the image data in the image information storage unit 54, and an exposure condition for the exposure condition calculated by the exposure condition calculation unit 55. The exposure control unit 56 controls the operation of the light control filter 22b and the shutter 22f of the exposure device 22 based on the exposure control, and performs exposure on the photographic printing paper 3, and converts the image data read from the image information storage unit 54 into an exposure condition calculation unit 55
The image information conversion unit 57 converts image data to be displayed on the monitor 6a based on the exposure conditions obtained by the user, and checks the image data stored in the image information storage unit 54 to check the state of the read image. And an image information determination unit 58 that performs the determination.

Various parameters registered in the image information conversion unit 57 and used for conversion processing such as negative-positive conversion of image information are obtained by converting an image frame of the film 2 under the exposure conditions obtained by the exposure condition calculation unit 55 into photographic paper. Exposure to photographic paper 3
It is set so that an image equivalent to the image to be formed thereon can be displayed on the monitor 6a in a predetermined frame display pattern.
The exposure condition calculation unit 55 is instructed by the console 6b to increase or decrease the exposure amount of each color of Y (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan) or to averagely increase or decrease the exposure amount corresponding to the density change of the photograph. Thus, the exposure condition is corrected. The image information storage unit 54 can store image data read from an image frame of the negative film 2 for one order by the scanner device 21, so that the image information conversion unit 57 stores the image data of a plurality of image frames from the image information storage unit 54. The image data is read and converted, and the image data of a plurality of image frames can be simultaneously displayed on the monitor 6a in a specific frame display pattern.

The image information judging section 58 is connected to the scanner device 21.
When it is determined that the negative film 2 of one order read by the above is all missing, the central control unit 50 sends a command to the film transport control unit 5C, returns this negative film 2 to the front of the scanner device, and causes it to be read again. Prepare. At the same time, a command is sent to the light quantity control unit 51 of the scanner control unit 5A to reduce the light quantity of the light source 21a of the scanner device 21. By performing scanning with a low light quantity, the image data read again from the negative film 2 of all snakes can be handled as a pseudo image having a predetermined density. Of course, even if such a pseudo image is displayed on the monitor 6a, it is a flat image with a constant density, so the operator passes all these frame images, that is, without performing the exposure processing, 2
Is sent to the negative discharge unit 60B. This negative film 2 that has reached the negative discharge section 60B is another normal negative film 2
Is loaded on the tray 100 and sent to the collation step. Since all frame images have been passed, print 3
Is not discharged from the print discharge unit 60A, so that only the negative film 2 is packed in the DP bag. Of course, create one pseudo print to show that it's all sunken,
It is good also as a structure packed in a DP bag with this all-sunkenega film 2. Therefore, in this embodiment, the light amount control unit 51 and the light source 21a substantially function as a pseudo image generating unit.

Instead of the above-described embodiment, when the image information determination section 58 determines that the negative film 2 of one order read by the scanner device 21 is all missing, the central control section 50 determines the sensitivity of the CCD. A command is sent to the CCD controller 53 of the scanner device 21 to lower the
Even if it is a snake, it is also possible to obtain a certain density image and use it as a pseudo image. In this case, the CCD control unit 53 and the CCD imaging unit 21d
It substantially functions as a pseudo image generating means.

The functional block diagram of the controller 5 of another embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is different from the functional block diagram shown in FIG.
The difference is that an image information rewriting unit 59 linked to the above is added. In this configuration, when the image information determination unit 58 determines that all of the negative films 2 of one order read by the scanner device 21 are missing, the image information rewriting unit 59 accesses the image information storage unit 54 and The image data indicating the pseudo image is written in place of the image data. In any case, even if such a pseudo image is displayed on the monitor 6a, since the image is a flat image of a fixed density, the operator passes all of these frame images, that is, without performing the exposure processing, The corresponding negative film 2 is sent to the negative discharge unit 60B, and the collation work described above is performed. In this embodiment, the image information rewriting section 59 substantially functions as a pseudo image generation unit.

In the above description, the object to be read by the scanner device 21 is the negative film 2. However, the present invention is not limited to the negative film. Is an object to be read by the scanner device 21.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an overall configuration of a printer processor according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of an exposure unit.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing functions of a controller.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating functions of a controller according to another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 printer processor 2 negative film 3 photographic paper 21 scanner device 22 exposure device 58 image information determination section

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A printer processor comprising a scanner device for acquiring an image of a photographic film, and an exposure device for printing the image of the photographic film on a photographic photosensitive material, wherein the image of the photographic film acquired by the scanner device is completely unclear. A printer processor, comprising: an image information determining unit that determines that the image data is true; and a pseudo image generating unit that generates a pseudo image instead of the snake image. 2. The printer processor according to claim 1, wherein said pseudo image generating means generates said pseudo image by reducing a light amount of a light source of a scanner device. 3. The printer processor according to claim 1, wherein said pseudo image generating means generates said pseudo image by controlling a CCD imaging unit of a scanner device. 4. The printer processor according to claim 1, wherein said pseudo image generating means includes an image information rewriting section for generating said pseudo image.