JP2005244478A - Image printing with image data composing images - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED To simplify the printing of an image stored in a storage medium.
Data is read from a storage medium such as a memory card (step S310), the data is compared with an output history of image data, and a stored image on a memory card or the like is an unprinted image that has not yet been printed. Is determined (step S330). If at least one of the plurality of images read in step S310 is an unprinted image, image data regarding the image that has been determined as the unprinted image is output to the printer 130 (step S340). Thereby, among the images read in step S310, an unprinted image is printed by the main print processing.
[Selection] Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for outputting image data constituting an image for image printing.

  In recent years, with the spread of digital still cameras and the like, images can be easily obtained as digital data. Such acquired data includes image data (for example, RGB data for each pixel) constituting the image, data at the time of data generation (for example, at the time of data creation or editing), and data of the data file name. In addition to the audio data, the data is stored in an appropriate storage medium such as a memory card or a hard disk.

  Once the image is stored in the storage medium, when it is desired to print the image after that, it is necessary to find an image to be printed from the images stored in the storage medium. Therefore, various techniques for simplifying such an image search have been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2002-273925 A

According to the above-described technique, although the image search becomes easy, the following problems have been pointed out.
When searching for an image on a print medium, a user often desires to print the image. However, because there is a sense of security that data can be printed at any time if the data is left on the storage medium, or because the operation that causes the printer to print is troublesome, the image search and display are limited to image printing. There are many things that cannot be reached. For this reason, there are cases where an image cannot be viewed or used as an image on a print medium when necessary.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to simplify the printing of images stored in various storage media.

  In order to solve at least a part of the problem, in the image generation apparatus of the present invention, when the data acquisition unit acquires a data group for a plurality of images from the image storage unit, the image data is output as follows, Try to print.

  First, when outputting the image data of the data group to the print output unit, the output history of the image data stored in correspondence with the unique data unique to the image, and the unique data included in the data group acquired by the data acquisition unit It is determined whether or not it is necessary to print an image. And about the image of the data group determined to be necessary for printing, the image data of the image is output to the print output unit, and the image is printed.

  In this way, among the images stored in the image storage unit, an image that has not been output until now, that is, an image that has not yet been printed, can be quickly and easily printed.

  As described above, when printing an unprinted image, the image specifying data for specifying the image and date / time data indicating the date / time when the image data was created may be included as unique data unique to the image. it can. The image specifying data (for example, file name data) and date / time data are data that is normally stored together with the image data. Therefore, the necessity of printing is determined using such general-purpose data, and an unprinted image is printed based on the result, so that the versatility of image printing according to the present invention can be enhanced.

  In addition, the date and time when the image data output was executed is stored as one of the output histories, and the image data of the specific data group including the date and time data later than the image data output date and time is printed as an unprinted image. Can also be output. In this way, an unprinted image can be printed more easily.

  In these cases, if the output history data representing the output history is written in the data group of the image storage unit, the data acquisition unit only acquires the data group for each of the plurality of images, and the image is an unprinted image. Since it can be determined easily whether it is, it is simple.

  The image generation apparatus according to the present invention further includes a display unit that receives image data and displays an image composed of the image data. It is also possible to display the output target image, that is, an unprinted image, and to select an image desired to be printed from these unprinted images. In this way, it is easy to print an unprinted image while reflecting the user's intention. Moreover, it can also have a print output part itself.

  The above-described data output for the print image of the present invention can be realized in various forms. For example, the function of the image output device and method can be applied to the computer as well as the image output method / printing device and printing method. The present invention can be realized in the form of a computer program for realizing, a recording medium on which the program is recorded, and the like.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in the following order based on examples.
A. First embodiment:
A1. Configuration of image processing device:
A2. Image processing:
B. Device configuration of the second embodiment:
C. Device configuration of the third embodiment:
D. Device configuration of the fourth embodiment:
E. Variation:

A. First embodiment:
A1. Configuration of image processing device:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an image processing system 100 as a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a system in which the image processing system 100 is configured with a personal computer 30 as a center. As illustrated, the image processing system 100 includes an image database 110, a data acquisition unit 105, a control unit 120, a print output unit 130, a display unit 140, an operation unit 150, and a storage unit 160.

  The image database 110 supplies image data such as moving images and still images via various media such as a memory card, a hard disk, and a CD-ROM. The data acquisition unit 105 acquires data such as image data constituting an image from the image database 110, and passes this to the control unit 120. The control unit 120 includes a data output unit 122, a history correspondence unit 124, a print determination unit 126, and an output execution unit 128 in order to manage various processes for the acquired image. The data output unit 122 outputs image data of an image to be printed to the print output unit 130. The history correspondence unit 124 stores the output history of image data by the data output unit 122 in association with various data described later. The print determination unit 126 determines whether or not it is necessary to print an image by associating various data described later acquired by the data acquisition unit 105 with an output history stored in the history corresponding unit 124. The output execution unit 128 executes image data output of an image determined to be printed.

  The print output unit 130 prints an image based on the image data received from the control unit 120. The display unit 140 displays an image based on the image data acquired from the data acquisition unit 105, and the operation unit 150 is operated when setting a print format at the time of image printing. The storage unit 160 stores a result of data processing performed by the control unit 120, a program managed by the control unit 120, and the like.

  The personal computer 30 (see FIG. 2) includes a hard disk, a mouse, a keyboard, and the like in addition to logical operation devices such as a CPU, a RAM, and a ROM (not shown). The personal computer 30 is configured to perform the functions of the control unit 120, the data acquisition unit 105, the display unit 140, the operation unit 150, and the storage unit 160 in these devices in accordance with execution of a program described later. ing. That is, the personal computer 30 directly receives various data from the medium of the image database 110 and outputs the image data to a print output unit (printer) 130 for printing.

A2. Image processing:
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the pre-printing process performed prior to the automatic printing process of the unprinted image, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the automatic printing process of the unprinted image. In the pre-printing process shown in FIG. 3, the personal computer 30 sets various items of the printer 130 for automatic printing and stores them (step S200). For example, the user waits for settings such as print size, print image quality (for example, photo image quality, automatic image correction processing, etc.), number of prints, and the like, and if there are settings, the setting items are stored. Alternatively, these items can be stored in advance as defaults. In this case, it is sufficient to read the default setting items.

  This pre-printing process need only be executed once when the image processing system 100 is turned on for the first time. Of course, it may be executed at any time prior to automatic processing printing of an unprinted image, which will be described later. In this case, the personal computer 30 may display an icon or the like that prompts the execution of the pre-printing process on the display unit 140 and execute the pre-printing process when an icon operation is performed. In this way, it is possible to change the printing items as desired by the user.

  The automatic printing process of an unprinted image shown in FIG. 4 is executed using image data input from the image database 110 to the personal computer 30 as a trigger. For example, if there is a memory card or CD-ROM attached to the card throttle, the personal computer 30 executes automatic printing processing in response to this.

  First, the personal computer 30 reads printer setting items for printing in the automatic printing process described below from the RAM, ROM, or hard disk, and outputs them to the printer 130 (step S300). This printer setting item is set by the pre-printing process described above. By such setting item output, even if the setting item has been changed by the user in another printing process before that, the printer 130 becomes a setting suitable for the automatic printing process in step S300.

  Following the printer setting output, the personal computer 30 reads data from a memory card or the like (step S310). Usually, since a plurality of images are stored in the memory card or the like as data such as image data constituting the image, the personal computer 30 reads data for all the images. In addition to the above-mentioned image data, such data include image specifying data such as a file name specifying image data, and date and time data such as image shooting date and editing date and time (that is, image data creation date and time data). Specific data is included, and the personal computer 30 also reads such data.

  The personal computer 30 continues to read the data output history for image printing from the storage unit 160 (step S320). This output history indicates that an image for which image data has been output to the printer 130 has been printed, and an image for which no image data has been output indicates that it has not been printed. 30 creates the output history, and updates and stores it in the storage unit 160, specifically, a readable / writable ROM or the like. For example, a history of outputting image data of a certain image to the printer 130 for printing the image (output history), image specifying data such as the above-mentioned file name paired with the image data of this certain image, date and time, etc. It is constructed by associating data. The personal computer 30 updates and stores such output history in step S350 described later of this routine.

  Next, the personal computer 30 associates the image specifying data and date / time data for each of the plurality of images read in step S310 with the output history read in step S320, and an image corresponding to the image specifying data and date / time data is not yet available. It is determined whether the image has not been printed (unprinted image) (step S330). In step S330, if all of the plurality of images read in step S310 are printed based on the comparison between the image specifying data / date / time data and the output history, a negative determination is made that all the images have been printed, This routine is temporarily terminated.

  On the other hand, if there is at least one unprinted image among the plurality of images read in step S310, an affirmative determination is made in step S330, and the personal computer 30 uses the image data for the unprinted image as the printer 130. (Step S340). Thereby, among the images read in step S310, an unprinted image is printed by the main print processing. The printing is performed with the print size, image quality, and the like set in the pre-printing process.

  When outputting the image data, the personal computer 30 updates and stores the output history based on the output (step S350), and ends this routine. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the output history. As shown in the figure, the personal computer 30 obtains image-specific data such as image specifying data such as a file name for specifying image data of an unprinted image to be printed in step S330 and date / time data of image data creation in step S340. The data output date / time data is associated and updated and stored. This output history is read in step S320 and is used to determine the presence or absence of an unprinted image.

  According to the present embodiment described above, when a storage medium such as a memory card that stores an image is attached to the personal computer 30, for an unprinted image stored in the storage medium, the image is quickly and Easy to print and preferable. Moreover, the output history used for selecting an unprinted image from the image on the storage medium is associated with image-specific data such as image specifying data such as a file name specifying image data and date / time data of image data creation. Since the image specifying data and the date / time data are data that is normally stored together with the image data at the time of image shooting / editing, in this embodiment, it is determined whether or not printing is necessary using such general-purpose data (step S330). ), An unprinted image is printed according to the result. Therefore, the versatility of printing an unprinted image of an image stored on a print medium such as a memory card can be improved.

B. Device configuration of the second embodiment:
The second embodiment is characterized in that the image processing system 100 is configured by a digital camera 40, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the image processing system 100 configured mainly by the digital camera 40. As shown in the figure, in the second embodiment, the digital camera 40 functions as the control unit 120, the data acquisition unit 105, the display unit 140, the operation unit 150, and the storage unit 160 by a built-in CPU or the like. Composed.

  Then, the digital camera 40 executes the process of FIG. 4 by using the cable connection with the printer 130 as a trigger or by triggering the mounting of the memory card after being connected to the printer 130 by the cable. As a result, the digital camera 40 receives image data, date data, and the like from the memory card, and outputs image data of an unprinted image in the memory card to the printer 130 for printing. Also, for an image captured by the digital camera 40 itself and stored in a mounted memory card or built-in memory, if the image is an unprinted image, the image data is output to the printer 130 for printing. In the second embodiment, there is an advantage that printing can be performed quickly from the digital camera 40 that captures an image. In this embodiment, the printer setting shown in FIG. 3 is executed on the printer 130 side and stored in the printer 130. Therefore, the image display on the display unit 140 and the user operation on the operation unit 150 can be omitted in the digital camera 40.

C. Device configuration of the third embodiment:
In the third embodiment, a digital camera 40A is used as a storage medium such as a memory card. FIG. 7 shows an image processing system mainly configured by a camera mounting base 50 on which the digital camera 40A is mounted for charging or the like. FIG. As shown in the figure, in the third embodiment, the camera mounting base 50 includes a CPU and the like as in the personal computer 30, and is configured to perform the functions of the control unit 120, the data acquisition unit 105, and the storage unit 160 described above. The In this embodiment, when the digital camera 40A is mounted on the camera mounting base 50 that is cable-connected to the printer 130, or when the camera mounting base 50 on which the digital camera 40A is already mounted is connected to the printer 130 by cable, 4 is executed as a trigger to execute the automatic printing process of FIG. Therefore, the display unit 140 and the operation unit 150 are not particularly required.

  The camera mounting base 50 receives the image data and date data from the digital camera 40A by executing the processing of FIG. 4, and outputs the image data of the unprinted image in the digital camera 40A to the printer 130 for printing. Therefore, this embodiment also has an advantage that printing can be performed quickly from the digital camera 40A. Even in this embodiment, the printer setting shown in FIG. 3 is executed on the printer 130 side and stored in the printer 130.

D. Device configuration of the fourth embodiment:
The fourth embodiment is characterized in that the image processing system 100 is configured by a printer 130, and FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the image processing system 100 configured by the printer 130. As shown in the figure, in the fourth embodiment, the printer 130 is configured to perform the functions of the control unit 120, the data acquisition unit 105, the display unit 140, the operation unit 150, and the storage unit 160 by a built-in CPU or the like. Is done.

  Then, the process shown in FIG. 4 is executed by using a cable connection with the printer 130, the digital camera 40A, or the hard disk 45 as a trigger, or by triggering the attachment of a memory card to the card throttle. Accordingly, the print output unit 130 receives image data, date data, and the like from the memory card or the digital camera 40A, and outputs image data of an unprinted image in the memory card or the digital camera 40A to the print head of the printer itself and its drive unit. To print. In the fourth embodiment, there is an advantage that an unprinted image can be printed promptly after the memory card and the digital camera 40 that captures an image are mounted and connected. In this embodiment, the printer settings shown in FIG. 3 are executed on the printer 130 side and stored in the printer 130. The settings are made using the display unit 140 and the operation unit 150 of the printer.

E. Variation:
Although some examples have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these examples and embodiments, and can be implemented in various modes without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the following modifications are possible.

  In the first modification, the personal computer 30 stores the date and time (image data output date and time data) when the output of the image data based on the automatic printing process shown in FIG. . That is, the image data output date / time data shown in FIG. 5 is stored. The personal computer 30 can also output the image data for printing as an unprinted image for an image including date / time data later than the image data output date / time. Referring to FIG. 5, if the latest date and time of the automatic printing process according to FIG. 4 is 11:24:10 on February 12, 2004, the date and time data later than this date and time is used in the automatic printing process. The image data is output as an unprinted image for printing, and the image is printed. In this way, an unprinted image can be printed more easily.

  FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a modification in which the output history is stored in a storage medium such as a memory card of the image data providing source. As shown in the figure, when storing an image, a storage medium such as a memory card specifies an image data storage area for storing image data constituting the image, date / time data indicating the date / time when the image was captured or edited, and an image. And a header information storage area for storing image specifying data such as a file name. In such a case, the personal computer 30 performs data output / image printing based on the automatic printing process of FIG. 4 in an unused storage area of the header information storage area when the output history is updated and stored in step S350 of FIG. Write data to the effect. To explain with reference to the figure, a value of 1 is written as data indicating printed in the header information storage area shown in the figure. Before this writing is before printing, the data field has a value of 0, for example. In this way, since the printed data is also read in step S310 in FIG. 4, it is easy to determine an unprinted image in step S320 and subsequent step S330, and the calculation load is reduced.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a modified example of the automatic printing process for an unprinted image. As shown in the figure, in this modified example, following the affirmative determination that there is an unprinted image in step S330, the unprinted image is displayed on the display unit 140 and waiting for the user to select an image to be printed. (Step S335). Then, the image data output for the image selected by the user via the operation unit 150 or the like is output (step S340), and the output history is updated and stored (step S350). In this way, it is possible to easily print an unprinted image while reflecting the user's intention.

  In addition, for an image that has been output as image data as an unprinted image, the image data can be deleted from a data providing medium (such as a memory card). Alternatively, an image captured by a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone can be acquired from the data acquisition unit 105 by a wired cable or wirelessly such as infrared rays.

1 is a block diagram showing an image processing system 100 as a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a system in which the image processing system 100 is configured around a personal computer 30. FIG. It is a flowchart of the pre-printing process performed prior to the automatic printing process of an unprinted image. It is a flowchart of the automatic printing process of an unprinted image. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of an output log | history. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an image processing system 100 configured around a digital camera 40. FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the image processing system 100 comprised centering on the camera mounting base 50 with which the digital camera 40A is mounted | worn for charge etc. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an image processing system 100 configured with a printer as a center. FIG. It is explanatory drawing explaining the modification which memorize | stored output log | history in storage media, such as a memory card of an image data provision origin. It is a flowchart which shows the modification of the automatic printing process of an unprinted image.

Explanation of symbols

30 ... Personal computer 40 ... Digital camera 40A ... Digital camera 45 ... Hard disk 50 ... Camera mount 100 ... Image processing system 105 ... Data acquisition unit 110 ... Image database DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 120 ... Control part 122 ... Data output part 124 ... History corresponding | compatible part 126 ... Print determination part 128 ... Output execution part 130 ... Print output part (printer)
140 ... Display unit 150 ... Operation unit 160 ... Storage unit

Claims (9)

An image output device that outputs image data constituting an image for image printing,
The data on the plurality of images from an image storage unit provided with a data group in which the image data constituting the image that can be printed and unique data unique to the image are associated with each image for each of the plurality of images A data acquisition unit for acquiring a group for each image;
A data output unit that outputs the image data of the data group to a print output unit that prints an image based on image data;
A history corresponding unit that stores an output history of the image data by the data output unit in association with the unique data paired with the image data;
A print determination that determines whether or not the image of the acquired data group needs to be printed by associating the specific data included in the data group acquired by the data acquisition unit with the output history stored in the history corresponding unit. And
An image output apparatus comprising: an output execution unit that executes image data output of the data output unit by the data output unit for the image of the data group determined to be printed by the print determination unit. The image output apparatus according to claim 1,
The unique output data includes image specifying data for specifying the image and date / time data representing the date / time when the image data was created. The image output device according to claim 2,
The history corresponding unit stores the date and time when image data output was executed as one of the output histories,
The print determination unit determines that an image of the unique data group including the date / time data of the unique data later than the execution date / time of the image data output is an image that needs to be printed. The image output apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The history corresponding unit
An image output apparatus that stores the output history by writing output history data representing the output history into the data group of the image storage unit. The image generation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A display unit for receiving image data and displaying an image composed of the image data;
The output execution unit
A display execution unit that outputs an output target image that is an output execution target of the image data, outputs image data constituting the image to the display unit, and displays the output target image on the display unit;
An image output apparatus comprising: an output restriction unit that restricts image data output by the data output unit to image data output for an image that has received a data output instruction from a user among the output target images displayed by the display unit. The image generation apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
An image output apparatus comprising the print output unit. A method of printing image data by outputting image data constituting an image to a print output unit,
(A) From the image storage unit provided for each of the plurality of images, a plurality of images, each of which includes a group of data in which image data constituting an image that can be printed and unique data unique to the image are associated with each other image. Obtaining the data group for each image;
(B) storing an output history of the image data to the print output unit in association with image data and unique data paired with the image data;
(C) associating the unique data included in the data group acquired in the step (a) with the output history, and determining whether the image of the acquired data group needs to be printed;
(D) A method of printing an image, comprising: outputting the image data of the image to the print output unit for the image of the data group determined to be printed in the step (c). A computer program for causing a computer to execute a process of outputting image data constituting an image to a print output unit,
(A) From the image storage unit provided for each of the plurality of images, a plurality of images, each of which includes a group of data in which image data constituting an image that can be printed and unique data unique to the image are associated with each other image. A function of acquiring the data group of each image,
(B) a function of storing an output history of the image data to the print output unit in association with image data and unique data;
(C) a function of determining whether or not the image of the acquired data group needs to be printed by associating the specific data included in the acquired data group with the output history;
(D) A computer program that causes the computer to realize a function of outputting the image data of the image to the print output unit for the image of the data group determined to be printed.   A computer-readable recording medium on which the computer program according to claim 8 is recorded.

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