JPS63220125A - Color printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To print an image recorded in a transmission original or a reflected original, to color photographic paper without using a TV camera, by exposing a monochromatic image converted by a three-color filter to color photographic paper. CONSTITUTION:A reflected light or a transmission light of an original picture which has been scanned by a flying spot by using a black and white CRT 52 and a three-color filter 56 is photodetected and converted to an electric signal by a photoelectric converting element. After image information of every color converted to the electric signal is inputted to a frame memory 86, the image information is brought to an image processing by an image processing circuit 88, and based on a signal which is brought to an image processing to the black and white CRT 52 by a flying spot, a white image corresponding to three colors is displayed successively. Also, the three- color filter corresponding to this black and white image is inserted successively between the black and white CRT 56 and color photographic paper 50, and the black and white image is converted to a monochromatic image and exposed to the color photographic paper 50. In such a way, an image recorded in a transmission original or a reflected original can be printed to the color photographic paper 50 without using a TV camera.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a color printer, and particularly to a color printer that processes image information obtained by a flying spot scanner using a CRT and then displays the image on the screen of the CRT. The present invention relates to a color printer that prints an image displayed on a CR7 screen onto color photographic paper.

[Conventional technology]

Various color printers have been proposed in the past that convert images recorded on negative film or the like into video signals and then print them on color photographic paper.For example, the color printer shown in FIG. 7 uses negative film 10. A TV camera 12 captures the images recorded in the TV camera 12. This TV camera 12 sequentially outputs image signals of R (red), G (green), and B (blue) colors to an image processing circuit 14. This image processing circuit I4 corrects the spectral characteristics of the TV camera 12 and the color photographic paper 16, and also corrects the improper absorption of dye in the color photographic paper 16. Further, the color-corrected density signal is converted into a signal according to the gradation characteristics of the color photographic paper 16.

The tone-corrected signal is output to the CRT drive circuit 18. This CRT drive circuit 18 drives a monochrome CRT 20 for printing to display a monochrome image as a monochrome image.

Therefore, a black and white image in which a red (R) image is displayed in different brightness levels, a black and white image corresponding to a green (G) image, and a black and white image corresponding to a blue (B) image are sequentially displayed. However, while the shack 22 is open, the black and white image displayed on the screen of the black and white CRT 20 is focused on the color photographic paper 16 by the lens 24 and printed. When printing a monochrome image that supports three colors, use the RSG and B three-color filters 26.
are selectively inserted by the filter switching device 28, converted into red, green, and blue monochrome images, and sequentially printed on the color photographic paper 16. The shutter 22 is driven by a shutter drive device 230, and has a three-color filter 26.
It is closed when the color photographic paper 16 is transferred and when the color photographic paper 16 is transferred.

As described above, the printed color photographic paper 16 is sent to the developing processing device 32 using the three-color sequential exposure method, and after being exposed for a certain number of frames (not shown), it is cut with a cutter and then developed. It is processed. The developed color photographic paper 16 is cut frame by frame by a cutter 34 and discharged onto a tray 36.

Further, the image processing circuit 14 is configured to be able to input image signals of a video image, a computer graphic (CC) image, and a character image from a video image input section 38, a CG image input section 40, and a character image input section 42, respectively. These image signals and the image signal of the negative film 10 inputted from the TV camera 12 can be combined, and the combined image signal can be output to the CRT drive circuit 18.

Therefore, the combined image can be printed on color photographic paper 16.

Further, the monitor 44 is used for checking whether the composite image is appropriate or not.

[Problem that the invention sought to solve]

However, with conventional color printers, when printing an image recorded on a transparent or reflective original such as a negative film onto color photographic paper, the image is captured by a TV camera and displayed on a CRT screen. CR made
Since the image on the T screen is printed on color photographic paper,
There are problems in that the structure becomes complicated and the cost increases.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a color printer capable of printing an image recorded on a transparent original or a reflective original onto color photographic paper without using a camera.

[Means for solving problems]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a flying spot scanner that includes a black-and-white CRT and a three-color filter that is selectively inserted into the optical path of the black-and-white CRT, and that scans an original image for each color with a flying spot; A photoelectric conversion element that receives reflected light or transmitted light from an original image and converts it photoelectrically, a frame memory that stores image information for each color converted into electrical signals, and an image processing circuit that processes the stored image information. , a control means for driving the black-and-white CRT for each color based on information processed by the image processing circuit and inserting a three-color filter corresponding to each color into the optical path of the black-and-white CRT; and means for exposing a monochromatic image onto color Inzai paper.

[Operation] According to the present invention, reflected light or transmitted light from an original image scanned with a flying spot using a black-and-white CRT and a three-color filter is received and converted into an electrical signal by a photoelectric conversion element. After the image information for each color converted into electrical signals is captured in the frame memory, the image information is processed by an image processing circuit, and the image information is converted into three colors based on the image-processed signals on the black and white CRT that is a flying spot. Corresponding black-and-white images are sequentially displayed, and the three-color filters corresponding to the black-and-white images are sequentially inserted between the black-and-white CRT and the color photographic paper to convert the black and white images into monochrome images, which are then exposed to the color photographic paper. Therefore, images recorded on a transparent or reflective original can be printed onto color photographic paper without using a TV camera.

〔Example〕

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

FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of a color printer according to a first embodiment. This color printer is a flying spot scanner, and has a relay lens 54 on the optical path P of a monochrome CRT 52 that displays images to be printed on color photographic paper 50, and three colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue). Filter 56 and color photographic paper 5 set on carrier 58
Negative film 60 containing images to be printed on
A mirror 62, printer lens 64, shutter 66, and color photographic paper 50 are arranged in this order. The three-color filter 56 is configured such that each color filter is set on the optical path P by a filter switching device 68. The negative film 60 is a black and white CRT.
It is set on the optical path P when being scanned by 52.

The mirror 62 is set on the optical path P at an angle of about 45° with respect to the optical path P by a mirror drive device 70 while the negative film 60 is being scanned. The shutter 66 is connected to a shutter drive device 72 when printing an image on the color photographic paper 50.
The beam is moved away from the optical path P.

After the color photographic paper 50 is printed, the color photographic paper 50 is transferred to the development processing device ff.
After being sent to 102 and exposed for a certain number of frames, it is cut by a cutter (not shown) and then developed. The developed color photographic paper 50 is cut frame by frame by a cutter 104 and discharged onto a tray 10G.

Further, a mirror 62 is set on the optical path P, and the transmitted light from the negative film 60 scanned by the monochrome CRT 52 is input to the light receiver 78 via the mirror 62, the condenser lens 74, and the diffuser plate 76. .

The receiver 78 includes an amplifier 80 and an analog-digital (A/
D) Converter 82, Direct-Memory Access (DM)
A) A frame memory 86 is connected via a controller 84. The frame memory 86 has image processing and control functions.
A black and white CRT via a circuit 88 and a CRT drive circuit 90
52 are connected.

The A/D converter 82 and the image processing/@control circuit 8th are
A monitor 92 is connected via a switching circuit 90.

The image processing/control circuit 8B also includes a keyboard 94,
Video image input section 96, computer graphics (C
G) N image input section 9B, character image input section 100 are connected, and filter switching device 68, mirror drive device 70, shutter drive device 72, development processing device 102,
A cutter 104 is connected.

The operation of the color printer configured as above will be explained.

First, the negative film 60 set on the carrier 58
is set on the optical path P, a spot is generated from the monochrome CRT 52 via the image processing/control circuit 88 and the CRT drive circuit 90 in response to an operation signal from the keyboard 94. A negative film 60 is scanned by a spot from the black and white CRT 52 via a relay lens 54. At this time, the mirror 62 is placed on the optical path P by the mirror drive device 70. Further, the filter driving device 68 is driven, and the R filter of the three-color filter 56 is placed on the optical path P, and the transmitted light of the red part of the image of the negative film 60 is transmitted through the mirror 62, the condenser lens 74, and the diffuser plate 76. The signals are sequentially input to the light receiver 78. and receiver 78
The transmitted light inputted to is photoelectrically converted, the converted electric signal is amplified by an amplifier 80, the amplified electric signal is converted to a digital signal by an A/D converter 82,
The converted digital signals are sequentially stored in a frame memory 86 by a DMA controller 84. When the negative film 60 is scanned and all the red image information is stored in the frame memory 86, the filter drive device 68 moves the R filter away from the optical path P and
A filter is placed on the optical path P. And again black and white CRT
52, the negative film 60 is scanned, and green image information is sequentially stored in the frame memory 86 as described above. Then, when the negative film 60 is scanned and all green image information is stored in the frame memory 86, the filter driving device 68 moves the G filter away from the optical path P and places the B filter on the optical path P. Black and white CRT52 again
The negative film 60 is scanned and blue image information is sequentially stored in the frame memory 86 as described above.The images of the negative film 60 are sequentially stored in the frame memory 86 as R, G, and B image information as described above. Make me remember. The image information stored for each of R, G, and B is corrected by the image processing/control circuit 88 for the difference in spectral characteristics between the monochrome CRT 52 and the color photographic paper 50, and also for correcting the improper absorption of pigment in the color photographic paper 50. Correct. Further, the color-corrected density signal is converted into a signal according to the gradation characteristics of the color photographic paper 16.

The tone-corrected signal is inverted from negative to positive and output to the CRT drive circuit 90. This CRT drive circuit 90 drives the monochrome CRT 52 to display a monochrome image as a monochrome image. Therefore, while the shutter 66 is open, a black-and-white image in which a red image is displayed in different brightness levels, a black-and-white image corresponding to a green image, and a black-and-white image corresponding to a blue image are sequentially displayed. The black and white image displayed on the screen of the black and white CRT 52 is formed on the color photographic paper 50 by the printer lens 64 and printed. When printing this three-color black and white image, the negative film 60 on the carrier 58 is
is retracted from the optical path P, and the mirror 62 is retracted from the optical path P by the mirror driving device 70. Also, R
, G, and B are inserted into the optical path P when a black-and-white image corresponding to red is displayed on the black-and-white CRT 52 by the filter driving device 68, and a black-and-white image corresponding to blue is displayed on the black-and-white CRT 52. When the image is displayed, the G filter is inserted on the optical path P, and when the monochrome image corresponding to green is displayed on the monochrome CRT 52, the B filter is inserted on the optical path P, and the image is sequentially converted into a monochromatic image of red, green, and blue. and printed on color photographic paper 50.

The color photographic paper 5o printed in the manner described above is developed by a developing device 102 and then discharged onto a tray 106.

The image processing/control circuit 88 also inputs image information of the video image, C0 image, and character image to the video image input section 9, respectively.
6. It can be input from the C0 image input section 98 and the character image input section 100.

The video image input section 96 can read image information from a videotape, video disk, video floppy, etc. from a video tape recorder, video disk device, floppy drive, etc.

The C0 image input section 98 stores graphic image information input using a digitizer or the like on a floppy disk using a personal computer or the like, and can read this using the floppy disk drive bag W<.

The character image input unit 100 stores character information created by key operations on a personal computer on a floppy disk, and can read this information using a floppy disk drive.

These read video image information, graphic image information, and character image information are displayed on a monitor 9 by an image processing/control circuit 88.
2 and the display position on the screen of the monochrome CRT 52 can be determined by operating the keyboard 94 while viewing the screen of the monitor 92.

Further, these image information and image information obtained by scanning the negative film 60 are combined, and the combined image information is CR
It can be output to the T drive circuit 90. Therefore,
The combined image can be printed on color photographic paper 50.

In addition, in this color printer, as shown in FIG. 2, a negative film 60 set on an optical path P on a carrier is scanned with a spot of a black and white CRT 52, and then transferred to a color photographic paper 50 by a printer lens 64. By forming an image, it is possible to directly print a 6° negative film image onto color photographic paper 50. At this time, the filter driving device 68 is driven to sequentially arrange the R, G, and B filters on the optical path P, and expose the color photographic paper 50 for each color.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration diagram of a color printer according to a second embodiment. Components that are the same as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

This color printer places a negative film 60 set on a carrier 58 on an optical path where a spot of a black and white CRT 52 is refracted by a mirror 62.
It is designed to scan. When the negative film 60 is scanned through the mirror 62, the transmitted light passes through the condensing lens 74,
The image on the negative film 60 is input to the light receiver 78 via the diffuser plate 76.
2 and print it on the color photographic paper 50, simply move the mirror 62 away from the optical path P and the negative film 6
FIG. 4, in which there is no need to save 0, is a block diagram of the color printer of the third embodiment, and the same components as those in FIG.

This color printer includes a lens 75 for focusing the reflected light from the mirror 62 onto a reflective original 112 set on an original table 110.

Therefore, the reflected light from the reflective original 112 scanned by the monochrome CRT 52 via the mirror 62 is input to the light receiver 78. In addition, the image of the reflective original 112 is transferred to a black and white CRT5.
2 and printed on the color photographic paper 50, the mirror 62 can be moved away from the optical path P.

5 and 6 show a fourth embodiment, which is a modification of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. FIG. 5 shows the state in which the negative film 60 is being scanned, and FIG. 6 shows the state in which the negative film 60 is removed and printing is performed on the color photographic paper 50.

In this color printer, the relay lens 54 is not required, and the negative film 60 is in close contact with the black and white CRT 52. Therefore, by increasing the depth of focus of the condenser lens 74, the light emitting surface of the CRT and the image plane of the negative film are considered to be within the same screen, allowing scanning and printing to be performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment.

As explained above, the transmitted light or reflected light of a transmissive or reflective original scanned by a flying spot using a black and white CRT is photoelectrically converted, sequentially stored in a frame memory, and then image processed by an image processing/control circuit. Thereafter, images are sequentially displayed on the screen of the black-and-white CRT with flying spots, and the images displayed on the screen of the black-and-white CRT are exposed to color photographic paper, eliminating the need for a TV camera. Also, black and white C with flying spots
Black and white CR because the image is displayed on the same black and white CRT as RT.
It is possible to correct the shedding due to uneven coating of the T phosphor, and also to correct temporal fluctuations in the amount of black and white CR7 light emitted due to changes in temperature or voltage.

Furthermore, even if the scanning lines of a monochrome CRT are distorted, the flying spot scanned original image is displayed on the same monochrome CRT, so that the distortion of the scanning lines caused by the monochrome CRT is automatically corrected.

Obtaining a high-definition image input of a passing or reflected original by capturing it with a TV camera will significantly increase the cost, but when scanning with a flying spot using a black-and-white CRT, high-definition can be easily achieved by increasing the number of scanning lines. Images can be input.

Since the image on the black and white CRT screen can be viewed on a monitor, the aspect ratio of the west side can be detected when creating a composite image.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, the transmitted light or reflected light of a document scanned with a flying spot using a black and white CRT is photoelectrically converted, stored in a frame memory, and subjected to image processing, and then the flying spot is scanned. The original image is displayed on the black and white CRT screen. Since the displayed image on the black and white CRT is exposed to color photographic paper, there is no need for a TV camera, and a high-quality image can be exposed to color photographic paper with a simple structure and at low cost. This effect can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a color printer according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram showing negative printing in the color printer according to the first embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the color printer of the third embodiment; FIGS. 5 and 6 are schematic configuration diagrams showing the color printer of the fourth embodiment; FIG. The figure is a schematic configuration diagram showing a conventional color printer. 52...Black and white CRT. 56... Three-color filter, 60... Negative film, 78... Light receiver, 86... Frame memory, 88... Image processing control circuit.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A flying spot scanner that is equipped with a black-and-white CRT and a three-color filter that is selectively inserted into the optical path of the black-and-white CRT, and that scans the original image for each color with a flying spot;
A photoelectric conversion element that receives reflected light or transmitted light from a scanned original image and converts it photoelectrically, a frame memory that stores image information for each color converted into electrical signals, and an image that processes the stored image information. a processing circuit, and the monochrome CRT based on information processed by the image processing circuit.
A control means for driving a three-color filter for each color and inserting a three-color filter corresponding to each color into the optical path of a black-and-white CRT, and a means for exposing a monochromatic image converted by the three-color filter onto color photographic paper. color printer. (2) The image processing circuit performs image processing by combining image information of the scanned original image with at least one of character image information and computer graphic image information. Color printers listed in ).