JPH0286451A - Video printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make possible the visual coverage at a glance of images before and after a specified frame and thereby the simplification of selecting the specified frame for printing. CONSTITUTION:A plurality of frame memories 161 to 164 are provided and image signals are written sequentially into the frame memory by frame. Then the image signals are read from the memory by a read means 31. When this reading is performed, image signals written into the frame memories 16 are displayed as a multiimage frame on a monitor screen by operation of a memory switch 17. Consequently, it is possible to retrieve and print a specified frame by taking a glimpse of frame images before and after the specified frame.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video printer, and more particularly, to a video printer that selects a desired frame from a moving image, obtains a still image, and prints a hard copy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of an example of a conventional video printer. The composite video signal that has entered the input terminal 1 passes through the interface circuit 2, is AD-converted by the AD converter 3, and is written into the frame memory 5 in response to a write control signal from the memory control circuit 4. For this writing, for example, the operator is watching a moving image and selects a desired frame (a still image) to be stored in the memory, and operates, for example, a memory switch or the like to output a write control signal from the memory control circuit 4.

On the other hand, when reading, when the operator specifies reading, a read control signal is taken out from the memory control circuit 4,
A still image video signal is read out from the frame memory 5.

This read video signal is converted into a signal format for printing by a decoder 6, and then sent to a print head such as a thermal head via a printer processing circuit 7.
Printing is performed by thermal transfer.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention When operating a memory switch to write a desired frame into the memory 5, the switch is generally operated when the desired frame arrives while watching a video, which actually causes a timing delay. After the timing d, the frame stored in the memory 5 is already a frame several frames past the desired frame (in the case of the NTSC system, one frame is 1/30 seconds). Since the above conventional example is equipped with only one frame memory, the desired frame is transferred to the frame memory 5 by switch operation due to this timing delay.
There was a problem that it was not easy to use, as it was impossible to print a still image of the desired frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a video printer that can reliably write a desired frame into a frame memory, and that can also easily take out and print the desired frame by looking at the images of the frames before and after the desired frame at a glance. do.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention has the configuration shown in FIG. In the figure, reference numeral 16 denotes a plurality of frame memories into which video signals of different frames of a moving image are respectively input and output. Reference numeral 17 is a memory switch for viewing a video and selecting a predetermined desired frame. 30 is a writing means that sequentially writes the input video signal into the plurality of frame memories 16 frame by frame. Reference numeral 31 denotes a reading means, which reads a plurality of frame memories 3 by operating the memory switch 17.
The video signal written in 0 is read out as a multi-screen divided into n screens (n is an integer of 2 or more) for one monitor screen.

A plurality of active frame memories are provided, into which video signals are sequentially written frame by frame and read from there.

When reading, multiple frames are displayed on one screen as a multi-screen. This allows the user to see the images of the frames before and after the desired frame at a glance, and easily select and print the desired frame.

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a video printer according to the present invention. In the figure, the same components as those in FIG. 4 are given the same numbers and their explanations will be omitted.

In FIG. 1, when writing, the output signal of the interface circuit 2 is separated from the synchronization signal by the synchronization separation circuit 10, and when writing, the output signal of the interface circuit 2 is separated from the synchronization signal by the switch 1 connected to terminal A.
1 to the memory control circuit 12, and is supplied to the memory control circuit 12 through the
) is assumed to be the fortune-telling control signal shown in FIG. Here, the write control signal @b has the following configuration. The video signal is generally composed of an information signal, an equalization pulse, a vertical synchronization pulse, and a horizontal synchronization pulse, as shown in FIG. Based on the equalization pulse, the period in which the vertical synchronization pulse exists (■blank) and the horizontal synchronization pulse (1")
Write control signal b that remains at H level during periods other than sink)
(FIG. 2(B)) is formed.

The counter 15 is configured to count only when the output control signal is at H level, and to be stopped during blank and H sync periods, and is cleared by a frame signal from the memory control circuit 12.

Specifically, looking at the period 1l-111, sampling the 1l period at 4 fsc (fsc is the subcarrier frequency) results in 910 data, as shown in Figure 3.
Of these, the picture portion is 752 c I k (c I k is 4 fsc), which corresponds to 94 addresses when using the frame memory section 16 of 8 words and 1 address. When writing (reading) only the picture part within one day,
Using the 910 decimal counter 15, the output value is 0 to 15.
When the value is 7, the address is stopped and writing (reading) is not performed, and when the output value of the counter 15 is 158 to 909, the address is advanced and writing (reading) is performed.

In this way, only the picture portion of the video signal is written into the frame memory section 16 frame by frame. The technique itself for writing only the part of the picture is well known.

Here, the frame memory section 16 is composed of, for example, four frame memories 16+ to 164, and the video signal from the AD converter 3 is written into the frame memories 16+ to 164 by a write control signal, so that the video signals are sequentially written for each frame. Only the picture is written according to the address. That is, the pictures of the video signals of four consecutive frames are written into the four frame memories 16-164. Such operations are repeated, and the picture signals of new frames are sequentially rewritten in the frame memories 16+ to 164.

An operator operates a memory switch 17 when a desired frame comes while watching a video. This causes switch 1
1 is connected to the terminal port (readout), and the memory control circuit 1
The read control signal (substantially the same as the signal shown in FIG. 2(B)) corresponding to the frame memory specified by switch 1 of 2- controls the memory in synchronization with the output signal of the synchronization signal generator 19. The signal is taken out from the circuit 12 and supplied to the frame memory section 16. For example, if the first frame is the desired frame, by the time the memory switch 17 is operated, the video signals of, for example, the first to fourth frames have already been written in the frame memories 161 to 164, respectively, due to the aforementioned operation timing delay. There is. Here, one screen is displayed on a monitor receiver (not shown), so
When one screen is specified with the switch 20 of the memory control circuit 12, the switch 14 is connected to terminal H (single screen display) by the switching signal C from here.

The image of the video signal of the frame is output from the frame memory designated by the read control signal, and is supplied to the terminal 11 of the switch 13 via the switch 14,
On the other hand, the synchronization signal from the synchronization signal generator 19 is supplied to the terminal port. The switch 13 is alternately connected to terminals C and 2 in accordance with the H level and L level of the read control signal (substantially the same as the signal shown in FIG. 2B) from the memory control circuit 12. The picture read out from a predetermined frame memory is added with a synchronization signal to form the original video signal, and is output to a monitor. The operator looks at the monitor receiver and, if it is not the desired frame, specifies reading from another frame memory. In the case of the video signal of the first frame, which is the desired frame, the printer section is operated, whereby the video signal of the first frame is supplied to the print head 8 via the decoder 6 and the printer processing circuit 7, and is printed as a still image. be done.

As described above, since the present invention has a configuration in which a plurality of frame memories are provided, even if there is a delay in operation timing when operating the memory switch 17, if the delay is within three frames, the desired frame will be stored in the frame memory 161. ~164
This means that the desired frame can be reliably printed.

By the way, in the present invention, each frame memory 161 to 161 of the frame memory section 16 is used as a monitor output when reading.
It is also possible to display the contents of 164 on one display screen as a multi-screen. In this case, when multi-screen is specified with switch 20 of memory control circuit 12, switch 14
is connected to the terminal (multi-screen display). Further, the switch 11 is connected to the terminal port (readout).

Here, for example, when displaying a multi-screen, switch 2
When this is specified by 1, a clock of 2fSC from the counter 22 operating at a frequency of 4t'sc is supplied to the latch 23. In the latch 23, the picture of the video signal of each frame sequentially read out in this order from the frame memories 161 to 164 is latched with a 2fsc clock, that is, the picture in the horizontal direction is thinned out to 1/2. On the other hand, the pictures in the vertical direction are thinned out to 1/2 by the address control of the counter 15 in accordance with the designation of 4 multi-screens. The pattern of the four frames thinned out in this way is 2fs
is written to the memory 24 with the clock of c, thereby
The pictures of the four frames are combined into one screen as four multi-screens, and a synchronizing signal is added via the switches 14 and 13, and output to the monitor.

In this way, the present invention provides a plurality of frame memories,
When the video signals of each frame written here are read out, they can be combined and displayed on one screen as 4 multi-screens. This allows you to grasp the contents written to multiple frame memories at a glance, and compare the desired frame with other frames. The selection can be made easily.

Here, for example, if the video signal written in the first frame memory is a desired frame, this is specified using the switch 18. As a result, as described above, the picture of the first frame video signal is read out from the frame memory 16, added to the synchronization signal by the switch 13, and printed by the head 8 via the decoder 6 and printer processing circuit 7. .

In addition to the 4-multi screen display, various settings can be made as required. For example, when setting 9 multi-screens, 16 multi-screens, and 25 multi-screens, the output clock of the counter 22 is 4/3 fsc.

fsc, switch 21 is changed so that it becomes 415 fsc. In this case, the number of frame memories is at least greater than the maximum number of multi-screens.

As described in detail, according to the present invention, since a plurality of frame memories are provided, a desired frame can be reliably written even if there is a delay in the operation timing of the memory switch. Furthermore, since video signals from a plurality of frame memories can be displayed in multiple screens on one screen, the images before and after the desired frame can be seen at a glance, and the desired frame can be easily selected for printing. Furthermore, since a plurality of frame memories are provided, even when a multi-screen display is performed, the original image can be obtained by reading from the frame memories.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram explaining write control signals in the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a conventional example, which is a diagram for explaining an address for predicting only the picture part in the day period. 1...Composite video signal input terminal, 3...AD
Converter, 6... Decoder, 7... Printer processing circuit, 8... Print head, 10... Synchronization separation circuit,
11゜13.14.18.20.21...Switch,
12...Memory control circuit, 15.22...Counter, 16...Frame memory section (plurality of frame memories), 161-164...Frame memory, 17...
Memory switch, 19... Synchronization signal generator, 23...
-Latch, 24...Memory, 30...Writing means, 31...Reading means. Patent applicant: Victor Company of Japan Co., Ltd.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A video printer that obtains still images from a video and makes a hard copy of the video includes a plurality of frame memories into which video signals of different frames of the video are written, and a memory switch that selects a desired frame by viewing the video. A writing means for sequentially writing input video signals into the plurality of frame memories frame by frame, and operation of the memory switch, the video signals written to the plurality of frame memories are written to one monitor screen by n (n is 2). 1. A video printer comprising: reading means for reading out a multi-screen divided into screens (an integer greater than or equal to 1). (2) A video printer that obtains still images from a video and makes a hard copy thereof includes a plurality of frame memories into which video signals of different frames of the video are respectively written, and a memory switch that selects a predetermined desired frame by viewing the video; A writing means for sequentially writing input video signals into the plurality of frame memories frame by frame, and operation of the memory switch, the video signals written to the plurality of frame memories are written to one monitor screen by n (n is 2). a reading means for reading out a multi-screen divided into screens (an integer greater than or equal to); and a reading means for reading out a desired screen from the multi-screen on the displayed monitor screen, and a frame corresponding to the selected screen from among the plurality of frame memories. A video printer comprising screen designating means for reading and printing video signals from a memory.