JP3382557B2 - Image designation method, image designation device, printing system, printing method and device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for designating an image to be printed, a printing method and apparatus, and a printing system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, it has become possible to print out image data taken by a digital camera without using a personal computer (hereinafter referred to as a PC). As a method, a digital camera records image data in a removable memory, and the printer reads the image data through the memory to realize printout, or a printer using a wired or wireless connection from the digital camera. There is a method to realize printout by transferring the image to. Also, as a function of a digital camera or PC, the information (called a print mark) that specifies the image to be printed out in the captured image is configured in a file different from the image, and the file is detected on the printer side. By doing so, it is possible to easily print out an image without selecting it again.

On the other hand, in an image (called a panoramic image) obtained by dividing an object such as a landscape landscape that does not fit in the screen in one shot into a plurality of times (called a panoramic image), information indicating that the image is a panoramic image is included. , Are often stored in the header portion of each image file.

There is known a device for synthesizing and reproducing this panoramic image by reading the attached information attached to each image as described above (called panoramic synthesizing).

[0005]

However, for example, when the storage means for accumulating images includes those which are not taken as a panoramic image and those which are not desired to be printed or desired to be printed, a desired panoramic image is synthesized. When you try to print by printing, even if you store the above specified information in a file different from the image file and read this file into the printer, the printer can determine the image to be read, but which one is composite I couldn't know if it was the right image.

On the other hand, as described above, it is possible to know the image to be combined by using the attached information stored in the header portion of each image, but by reading the stored images Otherwise, it is not possible to know all the images to be combined, it takes a lot of processing time, and since the printer usually does not have a lot of memory, there is a limit to the number of images that can be read from all stored images. is there.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an image designating method of the main invention of the present application is an image designating in which print designating information including information designating an image to be printed is recorded on a recording medium. A method for specifying a plurality of images to be combined and printed by stitching, and print designation information based on the designation in the image designation process in an area different from the image data indicating the plurality of images on the recording medium. And a print step of recording the print process, and the print designation information includes information for designating the images that form the same set when the stitching and combining are performed.

An image designating method according to another invention of the present application is characterized by designating an image which is divided and accumulated.

The image designating method according to another invention of the present application is such that when one image designated as an image to be combined and printed has an identifier indicating that it is an image accumulated by dividing into a plurality of images. Returns another image with the same identifier,
It is characterized in that it is automatically designated as an image to be printed by being combined as the same set as that one image.

An image designating method according to another invention of the present application is characterized in that when there is only one image designated as an image to be combined and printed, that is notified.

An image designating method according to another invention of the present application is characterized in that the print designating information further includes image layout information at the time of joint composition.

An image designating method according to another invention of the present application is characterized by further including, as print designating information, paper size information for printing a stitched and combined image.

A printing system according to another invention of the present application is a printing system which records print designation information including information designating an image to be printed on a recording medium and prints according to the recorded print designation information. An image designating unit that designates a plurality of images to be printed by splicing and combining, and a recording unit that records print designation information based on the designation by the image designating unit in an area different from the image data indicating the plurality of images on the recording medium. A synthesizing means for reading an image designated by image designation information recorded in an area different from the image data from the storing means and synthesizing the images; and a printing means for printing the image synthesized by the synthesizing means. The print designation information includes information that designates images that are in the same group when they are combined and synthesized, and the synthesizing unit includes a plurality of images that are designated as the same group by the print control information. Wherein the synthesizing of the images to an image.

The storage means of the printing system according to still another invention of the present application is characterized in that it is detachable from the printing means.

An image designating means of a printing system according to still another invention of the present application is characterized in that a photographing device for photographing the plurality of images is provided.

A printing method according to another invention of the present application is a printing method for printing an image designated by print control information, wherein information for designating an image to be printed by connecting and combining the print control information is provided. Is determined, the image reading process of reading a plurality of images to be combined and combined, which is specified by the print specifying information from the storage unit, the combining process of combining the read images, and the combining process of combining the images. And a print process for printing images, and the print control information includes information for designating the same set of images when they are combined and combined.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 shows, as print designation information, designation information of an image to be printed as it is (referred to as a print mark) and designation information of an image to be synthesized and printed ( It is a diagram showing a configuration for recording a panorama print mark) in a data area different from the image data. The present invention can be implemented by various hardware such as a digital camera or a personal computer (hereinafter abbreviated as PC).

In the figure, 104 is an image storage means for storing images. When the digital camera shown in FIG. 1 is used, the image storage means is realized by a memory card or the like in which captured images are recorded. When the present invention is implemented by a PC, it is possible to realize the memory card as an image storage means by using a device capable of reading and writing the memory card used in the digital camera. Furthermore, in the case of a PC that can be connected to a digital camera via an RC-232 cable, the digital camera itself can be regarded as an image storage means. As will be described later, print marks and panoramic print marks indicating whether or not to print the image are stored in the image storage unit 104 in a file different from the image data.

Reference numeral 105 denotes an input means for a user to operate, which is realized by various switches and buttons in the case of a digital camera and a keyboard and mouse in the case of a PC.

Reference numeral 103 denotes a display means for displaying an image and various information, which is realized by a liquid crystal display device on the main body in the case of a digital camera and a CRT display in the case of a PC.

Reference numeral 101 is an image acquisition means for acquiring an image from the image storage means and displaying the image and various information on the display means. The image acquisition means can be realized as a program stored in the RAM or ROM of the PC or digital camera.

Reference numeral 100 denotes a mark adding means as an image designating means for attaching an identifier as an image to be printed by combining the image data as they are or by combining them in accordance with an instruction from the input means. Mark addition means is RAM of PC or digital camera
Or a program stored in ROM.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the panorama print mark proposed in the present invention. The panorama print mark is a mark that instructs to perform both panorama composition and printing.When a printer that has a panorama composition function finds this mark, it automatically finds an image for panorama composition and composes it. You can start and print the results.

Reference numeral 701 in FIG. 7 represents a set of images for which panorama synthesis is performed, and for example, "P1 (0,0) 0012.JPG A4 2
"P1" of "8" indicates that panorama synthesis is performed with the image described as another P1. Reference numeral 702 is a coordinate indicating the arrangement of images when performing panorama composition, and is, for example, “(0, 0) of“ P1 (0, 0) 0012.JPG A4 28 ”.
“0)” indicates that the image is arranged at a position where the x coordinate is 1 and the y coordinate is 0. Reference numeral 703 represents a file name of the image. 70
Reference numeral 4 represents a paper size when printed, and for example, “A4” in “P1 (0,0) 0012.JPG A428” indicates that the combined result is printed on A4 size paper. . Reference numeral 705 denotes a focal length of the lens when the corresponding image is captured, for example, “P1 (0,0) 0012.
"28" of "JPG A4 28" means this image is 28mm (3
5mm film equivalent value) indicates that the image was taken at the focal length. As is already known, when performing panorama synthesis, it is necessary to map and deform an image on a spherical surface, a cylinder, a flat surface, or the like using focal length information. Therefore, by recording the focal length information in the panorama print mark, it is possible to combine the images by performing the above-mentioned mapping even in a printer having a panorama combining function. Note that the focal length written on the panorama print mark may be the actual focal length of the optical system, not the 35 mm film equivalent value. In that case, write information such as the vertical and horizontal size of the CCD of the digital camera that shot the image so that the focal length in 35mm film equivalent can be calculated.

The operation for creating such a panoramic print mark will be described below.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a process of displaying a panoramic image on the display means.

First, in step 201, the image acquisition means 101 reads out the image stored in the image storage means 104 and displays it on the display means 103.

In step 202, the image acquisition means 1
01 determines whether or not there is an image with a panorama identifier in the image. With this panorama identifier, when you shoot a subject that does not fit in one shot such as landscape landscape by dividing it into multiple times by switching the digital camera to a dedicated mode called panorama mode,
It is information indicating that the images are in the same group and how the images are arranged. By checking the panorama identifier, even when there are a plurality of sets of images shot in the panorama mode, it is possible to determine only one set of images. This panorama identifier is recorded together with the image by the digital camera at the time of shooting.

In step 203, if there are images having the panorama identifier, the image acquisition means 101 notifies the user that these images are included, and the images are classified and displayed. Then, the process of adding the panorama print mark continues.

With this, the user can easily find the set of panoramic images and can add the panoramic print mark to the image to be printed. At that time, the mark adding means 100 acquires the arrangement information of the image recorded in the panorama identifier, and writes the correct image arrangement in the panorama print mark according to the arrangement information. Further, when the user also specifies the size of the paper to be printed by the input means 105, the mark adding means 100 also writes the paper size in the panorama print mark. If the focal length of the lens at the time of shooting is written in the image, the mark adding means 100 writes the focal length in the panoramic print mark.

Although not shown in FIG. 2, the image to be printed can be selected from all the images stored in the image storage means by repeating the above process.

FIG. 3 shows an example of the operation when a print mark is added to an image.

In step 301, the display means 103
When the user looks at the image displayed in, and tries to add a print mark to a certain image, in step 302, the image acquisition unit 101 checks whether or not the image has a panorama identifier. If the image does not have a panorama identifier, a print mark is simply added, but if it does have a panorama identifier, the image acquisition means 101 causes the display means 1 to display in step 303.
The image is displayed on the display screen 03 with characters or the like to indicate to the user that the image is a part of the divided image, and a panoramic print mark is added to all images of the same set. At that time, the mark adding means 100 acquires the arrangement information of the image recorded in the panorama identifier, and writes the correct image arrangement in the panorama print mark according to the arrangement information. Further, when the user also specifies the size of the paper to be printed by the input means 105, the mark adding means 100 also writes the size in the panorama print mark. Further, when the focal length of the lens at the time of shooting is also known, the mark adding means 100 writes the focal length on the panoramic print mark.

As a result, even if the user does not recognize the image with the print mark as a panoramic image, the panoramic print mark is automatically added to all the images included in one set. Therefore, the operability for the user is improved.

In step 303, the user may select whether to add the panoramic print mark to all the images of the same group as the divided image or to add the print mark as it is. . By doing so, it is possible to meet the user's desire to print the divided image even in the panoramic image.

FIG. 4 shows an operation for adding a separately defined panoramic print mark to an image, not just a print mark.

In step 401, the display means 103
When the user looks at the image displayed in, and tries to add the panorama print mark to a certain image,
In step 402, the image acquisition means 101 checks if the image has a panorama identifier. If it has a panorama identifier, in step 403 the mark adding means 100 informs the user by displaying on the display means 103 that the image is a part of the divided image and informing the user of the same. Add a panoramic print mark to all images in the set. At that time, the mark adding means acquires the arrangement information of the images recorded in the panorama identifier, and writes the correct arrangement of the images in the panorama print mark according to the arrangement information. Further, if the user also specifies the size of the paper when printing with the input means 105,
The mark adding means 100 also writes the size on the panoramic print mark. If the focal length of the lens at the time of shooting is written in the image, the mark adding means 100
Writes the focal length on the panorama print mark.

Thus, the panoramic print mark can be automatically added to all the images included in one set, and it is possible to prevent forgetting to put the panoramic print mark.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation when a panorama print mark is added to an image having no panorama identifier even if it is a panorama image.

If the user does not use the above-mentioned panorama mode and wants to combine and print images taken by dividing one landscape or the like, in step 501, the image taken by dividing the panorama mode is not used. And ask the user to select. When this selection is complete, step 502 directs them to be placed in the correct placement. When the arrangement is set, in step 503, the mark adding means 100 writes the designated image on the print mark according to the arrangement.
Further, when the user also specifies the size of the paper to be printed by the input means, the mark adding means 100 also writes the size in the panorama print mark. If the focal length of the lens at the time of shooting is written in the image, the mark adding means 100 writes the focal length in the panoramic print mark.

As a result, even if the panorama image does not have the panorama identifier, the image composition can be performed with the correct arrangement.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the operation when the same set of images as the image to which the panoramic print mark is added is not designated.

At step 601, the user
When it is determined that the termination of the device or system of the present invention is instructed by the input device 105 or the like, step 602
In, the mark adding means 100 refers to the panorama print mark and examines the images of the set of images to be panorama synthesized.

Since the panorama print mark is for designating an image to be subjected to panorama synthesis, it has meaning only for a set composed of two or more images. Therefore, in step 602, if there is no other image of the same set, in step 603, by displaying characters or the like on the display unit 103, a warning is urged to the user, and the panoramic print mark is deleted as necessary. .

As a result, even in an apparatus in which a mode for selecting a sheet for a panoramic image is set by determining a panoramic print mark, the mode for panoramic printing is set for one image. Can be prevented.

Alternatively, in step 603, it may be instructed to attach the same panoramic print mark to another image.

This also makes it possible to prevent adding the panoramic print mark to only one sheet.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a printer for determining a panorama print mark, reading a specified image, performing panorama synthesis, and printing.

Reference numeral 104 denotes an image storage means similar to that shown in FIG. 1. Specifically, it is a memory card detachably attachable to a digital camera or printer, a storage means directly connected to the storage means such as a digital camera or a CP. .

When the print information reading unit 802 of the printer 801 reads the information of the image designated for printing, the image corresponding to this designation is read from the image storage means 104. When the print designation information includes the panorama print mark, the image synthesis processing unit 803 synthesizes the images designated by the panoramic print mark and sends the synthesized image to the image formation processing unit. When the print designation information includes a print mark, the image synthesis processing unit 8
03 sends the image designated by the print mark as it is to the image forming processing unit 804.

The image forming processing section 804 converts the image data into image forming data according to the image forming characteristics of the printer.
For example, convert to YMCK data. The print mark,
When the panorama print mark has information about the paper size, the image can be enlarged or reduced according to the information.

The image forming unit 805 prints on a horizontally long sheet for panoramic images at the time of panoramic printing, and prints on standard sheets such as A4 and B5 at the time of normal printing according to the image forming data.

Further, according to the present invention, when the image information and the designation information of the image to be printed are stored in the memory card by, for example, an operation on the digital camera, the user can bring the memory card into a print shop or the like. For example, high-quality printing can be achieved, and if you send data to a printer that can read image data from a memory card using this memory card, you can print the desired image without going through a PC. It is possible to automatically combine and print even panoramic images.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing an example of the file structure of the storage means for storing print marks and panoramic print marks, which are the designation information of the image to be printed.

In this embodiment, the print designation information file 95
The designation information of the image to be printed is stored. The image 96 is stored with an image to which a simple print mark is added.
In this case, 0001. Image files JPG and 0003.JPG are stored as images to be printed. 97 is
An image to which a panoramic print mark, which is a feature of this embodiment, is added is stored. Since the contents have been described in the explanation of FIG. 7, the explanation here is omitted. In this way, the designation information of the image to be printed is stored in a different directory from the image file.

For example, when a memory card for storing data as shown in FIG. 9 is set in the printer and the start of printing is instructed, the printer first reads the print designation information file and determines the image to be printed. After that, the designated image is printed as described in FIG.

As described above, since the printer can know the image to be printed just by reading the print designation information file, it is not necessary to read all the images, and the panorama synthesis is performed by the printer which does not have a large memory. Suitable for printing.

Further, even if there are a plurality of sets of panoramic images in the storage means, by adding a panoramic print mark, it is possible to selectively specify only the panoramic image to be panorama-combined and printed.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but various modifications can be made based on the gist of the present invention.

[0060]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to easily specify that a desired panoramic image is to be combined and printed.

Further, by adding the panorama print mark by using the information indicating that the image is divided and photographed, it is possible to specify more surely without forgetting to attach the mark.

Further, by adding the layout information to the panorama print mark, the image layout designating operation at the time of printing becomes unnecessary.

Further, by adding the size information of the printing paper to the panoramic print mark, the printer can perform image processing according to the paper size.

Further, without reading the image data,
Just read the specified information of the image to be combined and printed,
Since the image to be combined can be known, the image data reading process of the printer can be performed simply and quickly.

Further, the present invention is particularly effective when a printer such as a removable memory card is used as the recording means to store image data and print information for printing.

If the digital camera can be used to specify the image to be printed, a special device such as a personal computer is not required, so that the panoramic image can be printed easily.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration for recording designation information of an image to be printed and designation information of an image to be combined and printed in a data area different from image data.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a process of displaying a panoramic image on a display unit.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of an operation when a print mark is added to an image.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an operation when adding a panoramic print mark to an image.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an operation when adding a panorama print mark to an image having no panorama identifier.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an operation when an image of the same set as an image to which a panoramic print mark is added is not designated.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a panoramic print mark.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a printer that determines a panoramic print mark, reads a specified image, performs panoramic composition, and prints.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the file structure of the storage means.

[Explanation of symbols]

100 mark addition means 101 image acquisition means 103 display means 104 image storage means 105 input means 802 Print information reading unit 803 Image composition processing unit 804 Image formation processing unit 805 Image forming unit 806 CPU 807 RAM 808 ROM

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-9-91407 (JP, A) JP-A-9-212629 (JP, A) JP-A-2-178646 (JP, A) JP-A-9- 90530 (JP, A) JP 9-90430 (JP, A) JP 9-93532 (JP, A) JP 9-91408 (JP, A) JP 9-91409 (JP, A) JP-A-9-91410 (JP, A) JP-A-9-93430 (JP, A) JP-A-9-93431 (JP, A) Ministry of Construction, Digital Photo Management Information Standards Draft, Japan, 1998 December 18 Kazushi Fujiura, Let's make a QuickTime VR digital studio (PartIV), MdN, Japan, MDI Corporation, October 1997, October 1997, 190-193 (58) Fields surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04N 1/38-1/393 Non-patent literature search by keyword of digital camera, panorama, etc.

Claims (26)

(57) [Claims] 1. An image designating method for recording print designating information including information designating an image to be printed on a recording medium, the image designating step of designating a plurality of images to be combined and printed. The print designation information based on the designation in the image designation step has a recording step of recording in a region different from the image data showing the plurality of images of the recording medium, and the print designation information is the same at the time of joining and combining. An image designating method characterized by including information designating an image to be a set of. 2. The image designating method according to claim 1, wherein the print designation information designates an image which is divided into a plurality of images and accumulated. 3. When the image designated as an image to be combined and printed in the image designation step has an identifier indicating that the image is a plurality of divided and accumulated images,
3. The image according to claim 1, wherein another image having the same identifier is combined as the same set as the one image and is automatically designated as an image to be printed. How to specify. 4. If any one of the image designated as the image to be combined and printed by the printing means in the image designation step is notified, the fact is notified. Image designation method described in crab. 5. The image designation method according to claim 1, wherein the print designation information further includes layout information of images to be combined. 6. The image designating method according to claim 1, wherein the print designating information further includes paper size information for printing the stitched and synthesized images. 7. The area in which the print designation information is recorded is
7. The image designation method according to claim 1, wherein a directory is different from a data area in which the image data is recorded. 8. An image designation device for recording print designation information including information designating an image to be printed on a recording medium, and image designating means for designating a plurality of images to be combined and printed. The print designation information based on the designation by the image designation means, and a recording means for recording in a region different from the image data showing the plurality of images of the recording medium, wherein the print designation information is the same at the time of stitching and combining. An image designating apparatus including information designating an image to be a set of. 9. The image designating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the print designation information designates an image which is divided into a plurality of images and accumulated. 10. The same identifier is used when an image indicating that one image designated as an image to be combined and printed in the image designation step is an image that has been divided and stored. 10. The image designating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein another image that the user has is automatically designated as an image to be combined by being combined as the same set as the one image. 11. The image synthesizing process is not performed when there is only one image designated as an image to be synthesized and printed by the printing means in the image designation step. The image designation device according to any one of the above. 12. The image processing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the print designation information further includes layout information of images to be combined. 13. The image designating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the print designating information further includes paper size information for printing the stitched and synthesized images. 14. An area in which the print designation information is recorded is a data area in which the image data is recorded,
14. The image designating apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the directories are different. 15. A printing system in which print designation information including information designating an image to be printed is recorded on a recording medium, and printing is performed in accordance with the recorded print designation information. An image designating unit that designates the print designating information based on the designation by the image designating unit in a region different from the image data indicating the plurality of images of the recording medium, and from the recording medium, A combining unit that reads the image specified by the image specifying information recorded in an area different from the image data and combines the images, and a printing unit that prints the image combined by the combining unit, The print designation information includes information for designating images forming the same set when stitching and combining, and the combining unit specifies the same set by the print control information. Printing system characterized by synthesizing the first image a plurality of images that. 16. The printing system according to claim 15, wherein the recording medium is detachable from the printing unit. 17. The image specifying device is provided in a photographing device that photographed the plurality of images.
The printing system according to any one of 5 to 16. 18. If the one image designated as an image to be combined and printed by the image designating means has an identifier indicating that the image is divided into a plurality of images and accumulated, The printing system according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein other images that the user has are combined as the same set as the one image and are automatically designated as an image to be printed. 19. The print designation information further includes layout information of images to be combined.
19. The printing system according to any one of 18 to 18. 20. The printing system according to claim 15, wherein the print designation information further includes size information of a paper on which the stitched and combined images are printed. 21. A printing device for printing an image specified by print control information, wherein the storage means is provided with information for specifying an image to be printed by connecting and combining the print control information. An image reading unit that reads a plurality of images to be combined and synthesized, which is designated by the print designation information from A printing unit that prints; and the printing control information includes information that specifies images that are in the same group when they are combined and combined. 22. The printing apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the print designation information includes arrangement information of images to be combined, and the combining unit combines the images using the arrangement information. 23. The print designation information includes paper size information for printing a combined and combined image, and the printing unit processes the combined image according to the paper size.
23. The printing device according to any one of 1 to 22. 24. A printing method for printing an image designated by print control information, wherein storage means is provided along with the information for designating an image to be printed by connecting and combining the print control information. An image reading step of reading a plurality of images to be combined and synthesized, which is specified by the print designation information, a combining step of combining the read plurality of images to be combined and combined, and an image combined in the combining step. A printing process for printing, wherein the print control information includes information for designating images forming the same set when stitching and combining. 25. The printing method according to claim 24, wherein the print designation information includes arrangement information of images to be combined, and the combining step uses the arrangement information to combine images. 26. The print designation information includes paper size information for printing a combined and combined image, and the printing step processes the composite image according to the paper size.
The printing method according to any one of 4 to 25.