JP2002027230A - Image formation equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image formation equipment which allows images owned by the user to be registered as background images when one or a pluraity of images are printed on a piece of paper. SOLUTION: A microcomputer 11 for controlling registers any image in a removable card memory A stored in a card slot 2 in a background image storing memory 18 as a background image, and prints the image in the removable memory A (this may be the same as or different from a memory for recording the images registered as background images), using the registered image as a background. For example, when one prints images photographed during a travel, with three images on one piece of paper, a background image of that travel site is registered as a background image, and then a plurality of figure images are arranged on the background image, etc., thus making a unique printing possible that always reminds one of good memories during the travel.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for printing an image photographed by an electronic camera or the like on a sheet, and more particularly, to printing one or a plurality of images on one sheet of paper. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of registering an image owned by a user as a background image of a user.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a subject image is formed on a solid-state image sensor, for example, a CCD two-dimensional image sensor by an image pickup optical system and converted into an electric signal. A so-called electronic camera that records data on a recording medium such as a disk has been widely used. Further, with the spread of the electronic camera, an image forming apparatus for printing a photographed image, a so-called digital color printer, has begun to spread rapidly.

An image photographed by an electronic camera is usually recorded on a recording medium such as a detachable card memory. When printing this image with a digital color printer, the detachable card memory is directly transferred to the digital color printer. Images are sent by mounting the camera or by connecting an output terminal of an electronic camera or a personal computer to an input terminal of a digital color printer.

Further, recent digital color printers are provided with an image synthesizing function for creating a synthesized image in which a plurality of images are arranged on one sheet of paper so that the image can be stored as if it were an album. As a result, the user can efficiently organize the photographed images.

[0005]

By the way, a composite image created for printing a plurality of images on a single sheet of paper so that the images can be stored as if they were an album. A portion where an image is not arranged is, for example, either filled with a predetermined color or pattern, or is not printed at all, and some users have felt unsatisfactory in the finish.

[0006] An image synthesizing function for combining a plurality of images, which is conventionally performed by a digital color printer of this type, is for processing only one image. No consideration was given to the modification of the portion where the image is not arranged, such as during the period.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and it is possible to register a user-owned image as a background image when printing one or a plurality of images on one sheet of paper. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is arranged such that one image is formed on one sheet of paper.
When creating a composite image in which one or a plurality of images are arranged, it is possible to use an image owned by the user as a background image, and for that purpose, an image recorded on a recording medium or via a data communication path is used. In an image forming apparatus for forming an image to be transferred on paper, a background image registration unit for registering an arbitrary image as a background image, and a main image to be formed on the background image registered by the background image registration unit. It is characterized by comprising a composite image creating means for creating one or more arranged composite images, and an image forming means for forming the composite image created by the composite image creating means on a sheet.

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, for example, in a case where three images taken during a trip are printed on one sheet of paper, a landscape image of the travel destination is registered as a background image. Thereafter, it is possible to perform printing with a non-uniform and memorable effect, such as arranging a plurality of portrait images on the landscape image.

Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention further comprises a background image storing means for storing the background image registered by the background image registering means, wherein the background image registering means has various sizes designated for registration. And converting the image of the image quality and format into a predetermined size, image quality and format, and storing the converted image in the background image storage means.

In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, since the image owned by the user is converted into a predetermined size, image quality and format and stored as a background image, the user can use various images as they are for registration. By making it possible, for example, by compressing and storing the data in a format such as JPEG, it is possible to prevent a finite memory capacity from being consumed more than necessary.

Further, in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the background image registration means reduces the density of the entire background image, reduces the density of the peripheral portion of the background image, converts the entire background image into a single color, and the like. The image processing apparatus further comprises means for performing predetermined image processing on the registered image and storing the processed image in the background image storing means.

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the processing of the background image is performed not at the time of printing but at the time of registration thereof, thereby enabling more detailed effects without increasing the processing time at the time of printing.

Further, in the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, the composite image creating means has a means for freely rotating the background image with respect to the sheet, and further enlarges or cuts the background image according to the rotation. It is characterized by having means.

In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, for example, when a so-called landscape image whose longitudinal direction is turned left and right is registered as a background image, and when the paper is used in a so-called vertical direction whose longitudinal direction is turned up and down, or Conversely, a so-called vertical image whose longitudinal direction is directed up and down is registered as a background image, and when the paper is used in a so-called horizontal direction with the longitudinal direction directed left and right, the background image is aligned with the direction of the paper. And the image is enlarged or cut so as to be arranged in an optimum state, so that the user does not need to consider the consistency between the direction of the background image and the direction of the paper more than necessary.

Further, the image forming apparatus of the present invention processes the background image so as to alleviate the unnaturalness when margins appearing after printing are different in the vertical and horizontal directions due to the mechanism. For this purpose, in an image forming apparatus for forming an image recorded on a recording medium or an image transferred via a data communication path on a sheet, one or more main images are arranged on a background image. A composite image creating unit that creates a composite image; and an image forming unit that forms the composite image created by the composite image creating unit on a sheet. The image processing apparatus further comprises means for performing image processing on the background image so that the shading becomes lighter and thinner.

In the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, since the background image is subjected to image processing so that the shading becomes lighter toward the side where the margin appears larger, a more natural impression can be given. Become.

[0018]

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

FIG. 1 is an external view of an image forming apparatus (hereinafter, printer) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, this printer is provided with a card slot 2, an external interface connector 3, and an operation panel 4 on a peripheral wall of a printer main body 1. The card slot 2 is a storage section for detachably storing a detachable card memory in which an image is recorded, and the external interface connector 3 is an input terminal for connecting a cable when receiving an image from an electronic camera or a personal computer. . The operation panel 4 is provided with a user interface operation unit and a display unit.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the external appearance of the operation panel 4 in more detail. As shown in FIG. 2, the operation panel 4 includes a mode switching dial 41a, a menu button 41b, and a decision button as operation parts. 41c, cross key 41d
And a print button 41e, and a liquid crystal panel 42a as a display unit.

The mode switching dial 41a is a dial for switching the operation mode of the printer, and the menu button 41b is a button for displaying detailed items of each mode on the liquid crystal panel 42a. The enter button 41c is a button for setting detailed items of each mode, and the cross key 41d is a key for selecting detailed items and setting contents of each mode. The print button 41e is a button for instructing the start of printing. The liquid crystal panel 42a is a display for simply displaying an image to be printed, setting contents, and the like.

Next, a detailed internal configuration of the printer according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

The entire control of the printer is controlled by a control microcomputer 11.
Controls the operation of each unit while taking a user interface by the operation unit 41 and the display unit 42 provided on the operation panel 4. Further, the control microcomputer 11 has an image processing unit, and performs not only the operation control of each unit but also various image processing including synthesis. Card slot 2
The image in the removable card memory A stored in the memory is read out by the card interface 12 and temporarily stored in the image buffer memory 13. This image buffer memory 13
Is a working memory for temporarily storing an image for image processing. Usually, the image in the removable card memory A is J
PEG (Joint Photographic Ex)
The image stored in the image buffer memory 13 is decompressed by the compression / expansion circuit 14 into an uncompressed image because the image is compressed by the “partsGroup” or the like, and then stored in the image buffer memory 13 again.

The image which has been expanded in the compression / expansion circuit 14 and stored again in the image buffer memory 13 is:
The control signal is transferred to the head drive circuit 15, and a control signal for printing the image is transmitted from the head drive circuit 15 to the printer head 16. This allows
The printer head 16 prints the image of the removable card memory A on paper.

Similarly, an image input to the external interface connector 3 from an electronic camera or a personal computer is fetched by the external interface 17, temporarily stored in the image buffer memory 13, and then, if necessary, by the compression / expansion circuit 14. Head drive circuit 15 after deployment
And printed on paper by the printer head 16.

Which of the card slot 2 and the external interface connector 3 an image is input to is switched by operating the mode switching dial 41a and the cross key 41d of the operation panel 4. More specifically, first, the mode switching dial 41a is set to “input switching”. When the mode switching dial 41a is set to "input switching", the control microcomputer 11 displays the card slot 2 and the external interface connector 3 on the liquid crystal panel 42a.
A menu for selecting one of the above is displayed. Here, the cross key 41d is operated to select a desired input destination.

The printer is further provided with a background image storage memory 18.
By registering an image from the card slot 2 or the external interface connector 3 in the printer 8, it is possible to perform control unique to the printer, such as using an image owned by the user as a background image. Hereinafter, the control specific to the printer will be described in detail.

This printer can store one sheet on one sheet so that it can be stored as if it were an album if it is bound as it is.
An album mode for printing one or a plurality of images, that is, so-called album printing is provided. Then, when a desired image is used as a background image at the time of album printing, first, the mode switching dial 41a is set to "setup". When the mode switching dial 41a is set to "setup", the control microcomputer 11 causes the liquid crystal panel 42a to display a menu of various detailed items as options. Here, the cross key 41d is operated.
One of them is "background registration".

For example, when "background registration" is selected in a state where the card slot 2 is set as an input destination, the top image of the removable card memory A is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 42a, and the user tries to register it as a background image. The switching of the displayed image is repeated by operating the cross key 41d until an image to be displayed appears. Then, as shown in FIG. 4, when a desired image appears, the enter button 41c is pressed in that state.

The image in the removable card memory A varies in size, image quality, and format. When the registration instruction is given, the control microcomputer 11 optimizes the image to a predetermined size, and After being compressed in a predetermined image quality and format, the image data is stored in the background image storage memory 18. This allows the user to use various images as they are for registration,
For example, by compressing and storing the data in a format such as JPEG, the capacity required for the background image storage memory 18 can be significantly reduced.

To designate an image to be printed by arranging it on the registered background image, a mode switching dial 4
1a is set to “image reservation”. When the mode switching dial 41a is set to "image reservation", the top image of the removable card memory A is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 42a, as in "background registration". By pressing and pressing the confirmation button 41c for a desired image, an image to be printed is specified. To print all images, use the four-way controller
If “all frame reservation” is selected and indicated in d, it is possible to make a reservation all at once. Here, it is assumed that the three images in FIGS. 5 to 7 have been reserved.

This printer has a function of printing an image based on the reservation information recorded in the removable card memory A. The reservation information is information indicating an image to be printed and the number of images to be printed, which are designated in advance by an electronic camera or a personal computer. When the reservation information is recorded, the above-mentioned “image reservation” is not required.

To start album printing using the background image, the mode switch dial 41a is set to "album" and the print button 41e is pressed.

When the start of the album print is instructed, the control microcomputer 11 expands the background image registered in the background image storage memory 18 in the compression / decompression unit 14 and stores it in the image buffer memory 13. A composite image in which the reserved image stored in the image buffer memory 13 is arranged in the background image in a state where the image has already been developed is created, and the created composite image is transferred to the head driving circuit 15, and the image is sent to the printer head 16. Print. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a composite image printed by the above operation.

As described above, since the image owned by the user can be used as the background image, the printing can be performed with a memorable effect that is not uniform, such as arranging a plurality of person images on the landscape image of the travel destination. It is possible to do.

In the above-described example, as shown in FIG. 8, both the background image and the paper are used in a so-called horizontal direction with the longitudinal direction directed to the left and right. It is also possible to use a so-called vertically oriented image as the background image, and to use the paper vertically. There is no problem if the background image and paper orientation match, but if the combination is different, such as when the background image is landscape and paper is portrait, or when the background image is portrait and paper is landscape, the finish is It is preferable that some consideration be given from the aspect of the condition.
Therefore, in this printer, the background image can be freely rotated with respect to the sheet, and the background image is enlarged or cut in accordance with the rotation. This rotation is instructed by operating the cross key 41d while looking at the liquid crystal panel 42a.

Thus, when registering the background image, the user is not required to consider the consistency between the background image direction and the paper direction more than necessary.

Further, in this printer, various adjustments for producing various effect effects can be performed when a background image is registered. More specifically, when the enter button 41c is pressed while the desired image is displayed on the liquid crystal panel 42a, the control microcomputer 11 reduces the density of the entire image for which registration has been instructed. The liquid crystal panel 42a displays detailed items for performing various image processing, such as reducing the shading of the image and converting the entire image into a single color (monochrome or sepia). And four-way controller 4
When any one of the image processing execution instructions is given by 1d, the control microcomputer 11 applies the instructed image processing to the background image, compresses it by the compression / expansion circuit 14, and stores it in the background image storage memory 18. Remember.

As described above, in this printer, by processing the background image not at the time of printing but at the time of registration, a finer effect can be achieved without increasing the response time at the time of printing.

It is not necessary to use the background image after registering a favorite image, and it is also possible to fill the background image with a predetermined color or pattern prepared in the conventional manner. Here, in this printer, as shown in FIG. 9, it is assumed that the margins appearing after printing have different sizes at the top and bottom due to the mechanism. In this case, in order to reduce the unnaturalness as much as possible, the control microcomputer 1
1 is to apply a gradation such that when the margin is filled with a predetermined color or pattern, the shading becomes lighter toward the side where the margin appears larger, that is, it becomes lighter downward. . Further, when the margins have different sizes on the left and right depending on the direction of the paper, gradation is applied so that the margins appear large, for example, fade toward the left.

This makes it possible to give a more natural impression even when the margins appearing after printing have different sizes in the vertical and horizontal directions.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12, an operation procedure of the printer for album printing will be described.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation procedure when registering a background image of the printer.

When registering a background image, set the mode switching dial 41a to "setup" (step A).
1) Select "Background registration" from the menu displayed on the liquid crystal panel 42a with the cross key 41d (step A).
2). Next, while looking at the liquid crystal panel 42a, the four-way controller 41
By operating d, a desired image is selected (step A3), and various adjustments for producing various effect effects are executed as required (step A4), and then compressed and registered in the background image storage memory 18. (Step A5).

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the operation procedure of the printer when reserving an image.

When making an image reservation, the mode switching dial 41a is set to "image reservation" (step B1), and when all images are reserved (YE in step B2).
S), "All frame reservation" is selected with the cross key 41d, and all are reserved collectively (step B3). On the other hand, when making an individual reservation (NO in step B2), the cross key 4
The selection by 1d and the confirmation button 41c is repeated for a desired image (steps B4 to B5). Then, the selected image is reserved (step B6).

FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining the operation procedure of the printer when printing an album.

When performing an album print, set the mode switching dial 41a to "Album" (step C).
1) The direction of the paper is designated by the cross key 41d on the menu displayed on the liquid crystal panel 42a (step C).
2). Subsequently, the direction of the background image is designated by the cross key 41d on the menu displayed on the liquid crystal panel 42a (step C3), and the start of printing is instructed by the print button 41e (step C4). At this time, the control microcomputer 11 rotates, enlarges, and cuts the background image as necessary based on the relationship with the paper orientation, and then creates a composite image in which the reserved image is arranged thereon, and synthesizes the composite image. The image is transferred to the head drive circuit 15.

As described above, this printer makes it possible to use an arbitrary image as the background image at the time of album printing.

[0051]

As described above in detail, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, when creating a composite image in which one or a plurality of images are arranged on one sheet, an image owned by the user is used as a background. Since it is possible to use the image as an image, for example, in a case where images taken during a trip are printed three by three on one sheet of paper, a scenery image of the travel destination is registered as a background image. For example, a plurality of portrait images may be arranged on the landscape image, so that printing can be performed with a non-uniform and memorable effect.

The image owned by the user is stored in a predetermined size,
By converting the image into image quality and format and storing it as a background image, it is possible for a user to use various images as they are for registration, and by compressing and storing the image in a format such as JPEG, for example,
Prevents finite memory capacity from being unnecessarily consumed.

Further, by processing the background image at the time of registration, not at the time of printing, a more detailed effect can be achieved without increasing the processing time at the time of printing.

For example, when a so-called landscape image with its longitudinal direction turned left and right is registered as a background image, and when the paper is used in a so-called vertical direction with its longitudinal direction turned up and down,
Or, conversely, when a so-called vertical image whose longitudinal direction is directed up and down is registered as a background image, and when the paper is used in a so-called horizontal direction with the longitudinal direction directed left and right, the background image is oriented in the paper direction. Since it is rotated so as to fit and enlarged or cut so as to be arranged in an optimal state, the user is not required to consider the consistency between the direction of the background image and the direction of the sheet more than necessary.

Further, since the background image is subjected to the image processing so that the shading becomes lighter toward the side where the margin appears larger, a more natural impression can be given.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the appearance of an operation panel of the printer of the embodiment in more detail;

FIG. 3 is a detailed configuration diagram of the inside of the printer according to the embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view showing an example of a background image registered in the printer of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary first diagram illustrating a reserved image registered in the printer according to the embodiment;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary second diagram illustrating a reserved image registered in the printer according to the embodiment;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary third diagram illustrating a reserved image registered in the printer of the embodiment;

FIG. 8 is an exemplary view showing a composite image created by the printer of the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an exemplary view for explaining an example in which gradation is applied in the printer of the embodiment so that the margin becomes lighter toward the side where the margin appears larger.

FIG. 10 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining the operation procedure of the printer of the embodiment when registering a background image.

FIG. 11 is an exemplary flowchart illustrating the operation procedure of the printer according to the embodiment at the time of image reservation.

FIG. 12 is an exemplary flowchart for explaining the operation procedure at the time of album printing of the printer of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Printer main body 2 ... Card slot 3 ... External interface connector 4 ... Operation panel 11 ... Control microcomputer 12 ... Card interface 13 ... Image buffer memory 14 ... Compression / expansion circuit 15 ... Head drive circuit 16 ... Printer head 17 ... External interface 18 ... Background image storage memory A ... Removable card memory 41 ... Operation unit 42 ... Display unit 41a ... Mode switching dial 41b ... Menu button 41c ... Confirm button 41d ... Cross key 41e ... Print button 42 ... Display unit 42a ... Liquid crystal panel

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI Theme coat ゛ (Reference) H04N 5/76 H04N 1/46 C (72) Inventor Toshiyuki Toyofuku 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hisashi Yokokawa 2-43-2 Hatagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Inside Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. (72) Kenji Tominaga 2-3-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (72) Inventor Atsuko Hirano 2-3-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (72) Inventor Masatoshi Takahashi 2-3-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo F term (reference) 2C087 AA15 AB01 BB10 BC12 BD06 BD07 BD24 BD53 CA03 CA04 CB03 CB18 5B057 AA11 CA01 CA08 CB01 CB08 CD04 CD05 CE08 CE17 5C052 AA12 AA17 DD04 FA03 FC06 FD09 FE01 5C076 AA19 AA21 AA24 AA26 AA40 BA02 BA03 BA06 CA02 CB02 5C079 HA12 LA07 LB13 NA06 PA01 PA02 PA03

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus for forming an image recorded on a recording medium or an image transferred via a data communication path on a sheet, a background image registration means for registering an arbitrary image as a background image, A synthetic image creating means for creating a synthetic image in which one or more main images to be formed are arranged on the background image registered by the background image registering means, and a synthetic image created by the synthetic image creating means on paper. An image forming apparatus, comprising: an image forming unit that forms an image. 2. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a background image storage unit for storing the background image registered by the background image registration unit, wherein the background image registration unit stores images of various sizes, qualities, and formats designated for registration. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for converting the image into a size, an image quality and a format, and storing the converted image in the background image storing means.
The image forming apparatus as described in the above. 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the background image registration unit performs predetermined image processing on the image designated to be registered, and stores the image after the image processing in the background image storage unit. 3. The image forming apparatus according to 2. 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined image processing is to reduce the density of the entire background image, to reduce the density of the peripheral portion of the background image, or to convert the entire background image to a single color. Item 4. The image forming apparatus according to Item 3. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said composite image creating means has means for freely rotating a background image with respect to a sheet. 6. An image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said composite image creating means has means for enlarging or cutting a background image in accordance with its rotation. 7. An image forming apparatus for forming, on a sheet, an image recorded on a recording medium or an image transferred via a data communication path, wherein a composite image in which one or more main images are arranged on a background image. A combined image creating unit, and an image forming unit that forms the combined image created by the combined image creating unit on a sheet of paper. An image forming apparatus comprising: means for performing image processing on the background image so that the shading becomes lighter. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the predetermined side is a side having a larger margin when the composite image is formed, of the two opposing sides.