KR20060059041A - A digital image equipment and image print method thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a digital imaging apparatus and an image output method thereof, and an object of the present invention is to select all images to be printed using the Pictbridge function, and then select the images to be printed with a single print command. The present invention provides a digital imaging apparatus capable of printing both and an image output method thereof.

To this end, the present invention provides a digital imaging apparatus having a direct output function capable of outputting an image through a printing apparatus in a digital imaging apparatus, comprising: a selection unit for selecting at least one image to be outputted when selecting a direct output function; And a memory for storing a plurality of images selected by the selection unit, and a control unit for controlling the plurality of selected images to be output through the printing apparatus.

Description

Digital imaging equipment and image output method {A digital image equipment and image print method

1 is a flowchart illustrating an image printing method according to the Pictbridge function of a conventional digital imaging apparatus.

2 is a diagram illustrating a digital imaging apparatus having a pictbridge function according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating components of the digital imaging apparatus shown in FIG. 2.

4 is a flowchart illustrating an image printing method according to the Pictbridge function of the digital imaging apparatus illustrated in FIG. 3.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

10: DVC Microcomputer

11: key input unit

12: memory

13, 22: external interface unit

20: printer microcomputer

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a digital imaging apparatus and an image output method thereof, and more particularly, to a digital imaging apparatus and an image output method capable of outputting a desired image at a time when outputting an image using a Pictbridge function.

In general, in order to print an image taken with a digital camera, the image data is transferred to a personal computer via a serial interface such as RS-232C or a memory card, and the image data is processed by the personal computer according to the printing format of the printer. After that, print data is sent to the printer through the USB serial interface to print the image.

Printing images in such a manner is based on the premise of performing image processing using an application program required when the user of the digital camera already owns a personal computer and printing through a printer connected to the personal computer. to be. However, if the user of the digital camera does not own a personal computer, there is no means to print the captured image, so the user can connect the digital camera to the video terminal of the home television and view the recorded image on the television screen. There was no problem.

To solve this problem, you can transfer the image data directly from the digital camera to the printer using a serial interface, infrared interface, or memory card, etc. without using a personal computer, and perform image processing inside the printer to print. How to do it has been presented. In this way, a method of directly transmitting image data to a printer and printing the image without directing a personal computer is called 'Direct Print'.

This is commonly called the 'Pictbridge' function.

The method of printing an image photographed with a digital camera using the Pictbridge function will be described with reference to FIG. 1. First, the digital camera and the printer are connected with a USB cable. (S10) Then, the image to be printed After the playback on the screen of the digital camera LCD, select the Pictbridge function and input the print signal. (S20) In the print is received the image displayed on the screen of the digital camera to print the image.

If you want to print multiple images, you can play the image you want to print on the screen and input the print signal repeatedly.

However, if you want to print multiple images using the Pictbridge function, display one image on the screen of the digital camera and print it, and then display the desired image on the screen of the digital camera and repeat the printing. In this case, the user has to wait for the printing of one image and then play and print the desired image. Therefore, the user may not only take a lot of time but also may cause inconvenience to the user.

The present invention is to solve the above-described problems, an object of the present invention is to select all the images you want to print when you want to print a number of images using the Pictbridge function to print all the selected images with a single print command The present invention provides a digital imaging apparatus and an image output method thereof.

An image output method of a digital imaging apparatus having a direct output function capable of outputting an image through a printing apparatus in a digital imaging apparatus for achieving the above object, wherein when selecting a direct output function, at least one image is desired to be output. Then, the selected plurality of images are output through the printing apparatus.

The selected plurality of images may be stored in a memory.

In addition, when the output signal is input, the printing apparatus outputs the selected plurality of images in sequence.

A digital imaging apparatus having a direct output function capable of outputting an image through a printing apparatus from a digital imaging apparatus, comprising: a selection unit for selecting at least one image to be outputted when the direct output function is selected and the selection unit selected from the selection unit; And a memory for storing a plurality of images, and a control unit for controlling the selected plurality of images to be output through a printing apparatus.

The controller may control the output of the selected plurality of images in sequence when an output signal is input.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic configuration of a digital imaging apparatus system to which a Pictbrideg function is applied according to an embodiment of the present invention. The digital camera 1 and the printer 3 are connected to a USB serial interface (hereinafter referred to as a USB cable). The direct print system connected by (2) is shown.

The USB cable 2 generally includes a digital interface that conforms to the IEEE 1394-1955 standard, but is not necessarily limited thereto.

3 illustrates a more specific component. First, referring to the printer 3, the printer 3 has a printer micom 20 that controls the overall operation of the printer 3. The printer microcomputer 20 controls the printer 3 in accordance with an execution program stored in a ROM (not shown). The RAM 21 is an internal memory of the printer 3 and is a space for temporarily storing image data or print data input to the printer 3 via the USB cable 2.

The digital camera 1 reads an image from a digital camera micom (hereinafter referred to as a DVC micom) 10 and a CCD and controls the LCD screen according to a program stored in a ROM (not shown) and controls the overall operation of the digital camera 1. It includes a key input unit 11 that can be displayed on the screen, or can operate settings such as focus and exposure during shooting, and a memory 12 that stores image data compressed in JEPG or other formats.

In addition, the printer 3 and the digital camera 1 are each provided with LINK chip 2308 and PHY chip 2309 constituting an IEEE1394 interface as external interfaces 22 and 13, respectively. Through this, image data or print data of the digital camera 1 can be transmitted to an external device, that is, the printer 3.                     

The image data processing of the Pictbridge function of directly outputting the image photographed by the digital camera 1 to the printer 3 first converts the image data captured by the digital camera 1 and compressed into JPEG to RGB data. RGB data is subjected to correction processing such as contrast, brightness, color coloring, outline, etc. of an image in an image correction unit (not shown). The modified RGB data is converted back into CMY data representing Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow. The CMY data is again extracted with black components and converted into CMYK data with black data added to the CMY. The CMYK data is output through the printer 3 after the resolution of the printer 3 is converted into a printing method, for example, an inkjet printing method.

In this manner, the image captured by the digital camera 1 can be directly output to the printer 3. On the other hand, when the user wants to output a plurality of images at the same time, the processing method is a problem, the following will be described with respect to a plurality of image printing method using the Pict Bridge function with reference to FIG.

First, the external interface 13 of the digital camera and the external interface 22 of the printer are connected to each other using the USB cable 2 (S100). Of course, both the digital camera 1 and the printer 3 may be Pictbridge. The device must be capable of supporting the function.

The DVC microcomputer 10 determines whether the Pictbridge function is selected through the key input unit 11, and reads an image to be printed from among the images stored in the memory 12. (S110 and S120) Before the user has a digital camera ( Among the images (images) taken by 1), an image to be printed can be selected at any time through the key input unit 11, and the memory 12 distinguishes whether or not the selected image is stored when storing the image. As such, when the user selects and stores several images to be printed, the DVC microcomputer 10 may read the selected images from the memory 12 when the image is printed using the Pictbridge function.

When the user inputs a print command through the key input unit 11, the DVC microcomputer 10 processes the images read in the manner described above in accordance with the printing format and then through the external interface 13 or 22. Transfer the image to the printer 3, or directly transfer the read image to the printer 3 through the external interface (13, 22) to perform the image processing in accordance with the printing format in the printer 3 to convert to a state suitable for printing (S130)

When the image data is converted to the printing format, the printer microcomputer 20 counts the number N of the selected images (S140), and determines whether the counted number N is greater than '0' (S150). If the counted number N is less than 0, since there is no data to print, the Pictbridge function is terminated as it is (S220).

If the counted number N is greater than 0, a command to print the first image of the plurality of images is output (S160). Then, it is determined whether the printing of the first image is completed (S170). If it is determined, the value obtained by subtracting one from the counted number N is stored as a new count number N. (S180) In operation S190, it is determined whether the count number N is greater than zero (S190). Since there is no more data to print, the Pictbridge function is terminated as it is (S220).                     

If the count number N is greater than 0, a command to print the next image among the selected images is output. (S200) After determining whether the printing of the image is completed (S210), if the printing is completed, the counted number ( The process of storing the value obtained by subtracting one from N) as a new count number N is repeated. (S180) In this manner, all selected images are output.

That is, after selecting several images to be printed and entering the print command only once according to the Pictbridge function, all the selected images are output.

As described in detail above, the present invention can select a number of images to be printed on a digital camera that supports PictBridge function and print them at a time, thus providing convenience to the user and shortening the printing time. have.

In addition, whenever an image to be printed is created and stored, the stored image can be printed at a time, thereby eliminating the inconvenience of having to search for the image one by one.

Claims (5)

An image output method of a digital imaging apparatus having a direct output function capable of outputting an image through a printing apparatus in a digital imaging apparatus, When selecting the direct output function, select at least one video you want to output,  An image output method of a digital imaging apparatus outputting a plurality of selected images through a printing apparatus. The method of claim 1, And the selected plurality of images are stored in a memory. The method of claim 1, And a plurality of selected images are sequentially output from the printing apparatus when an output signal is input. A digital imaging apparatus having a direct output function capable of outputting an image through a printing apparatus in a digital imaging apparatus, A selection unit for selecting at least one image to be outputted when the direct output function is selected; A memory for storing a plurality of images selected by the selection unit; And a controller for controlling the plurality of selected images to be output through a printing apparatus. The method of claim 4, wherein And the controller controls the plurality of selected images to be sequentially outputted when an output signal is input.

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