JP2000188674A - Video printer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To ensure operability for required area setting which becomes necessary with the extension of edit functions for a prescribed area. SOLUTION: When a video printer receives an input signal through the operation of a read switch 5, a feed motor 11 is driven to transport a frame image sheet from an insert port of print paper to a position within the read range of a read sensor 6, and the read sensor 6 reads the frame image and a frame image area 8a stores the obtained frame image data. Edge detection processing is applied to the frame image data for specifying the shape of the frame, either the inside or the outside of the frame is selected as a prescribed segmented area and given edit object image data are stored succeedingly to an edit object image area 8b. A segmented area of the edit objet image data stored in the edit object image area 8b is segmented and printed out.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video printer capable of editing a given image and printing it out, and more particularly to a video printer having a feature in setting an area for editing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A video printer is one of peripheral devices for printing out image data provided from a computer system, particularly a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a PC). In this video printer, P
A device that can be connected to a digital still camera, which is a peripheral device for inputting image data to C, and directly print out image data stored in the digital still camera without using a PC Also exists. Such a usage pattern is called direct printing.

In a usage mode in which image data supplied from a PC is printed out by a video printer, a required image editing program is executed on the PC to edit the output mode of the image data to be printed. Although it is possible to set a postcard-like arrangement, such editing cannot be performed in direct printing in which a digital still camera directly prints out.

However, in order to respond to the user's desire to use such an image data editing function, in the above-described direct printing, a simple editing function for image data provided from the digital still camera, for example, Some video printers have a function of cutting out a rectangular area at a fixed position of an image or a function of reducing and allocating a plurality of images to each area obtained by dividing a printable area into 16 areas.

A video printer proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-326953 is an example of the above-described video printer, and includes a range of a subject, dimensions to be printed, and a whole to be printed including the subject. Accepting the setting of the dimensions, calculating a printing range that satisfies the printing dimensions of the subject and the entire printing dimensions based on the received information,
By performing printing based on the calculation result, when the face size and the overall size of the photograph are specified, for example, as in an ID photograph, the object is to print in accordance with the specification.

A video printer proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-285245 is another example of the above-described video printer. Based on the expansion rate
An object of the present invention is to cut out the cutout range of an image and print the image while enlarging the cutout range to the enlargement ratio.

In the above-described video printer device and the like,
Instead of being connected to a PC, it is necessary to provide a dedicated operation unit for receiving the setting of the region to be edited, that is, the position of the range of the subject or the range of the cutout range. Such a dedicated operation unit employs relatively inexpensive, that is, input means having a simple configuration, for example, cursor keys for receiving respective position settings in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. It is common to reduce the cost of implementing a function.

[0008]

By the way, the user's demand for the editing function of the image data exceeds the limit of the simple editing function provided in the existing video printer, and to meet this demand. Further expansion of functions is required. For example, in the function of cutting out a fixed area of an image, it is desired that the function be extended to cut out an area in the frame using a free closed curve (closed loop) drawn by freehand instead of the fixed area as a frame. I have.

[0009] However, it is difficult to input a free curve drawn by freehand with some operation units such as the above-described video printer device because of the low operability. Even if the function is extended to cut out an area within the frame as a frame, a problem arises in terms of usability.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and solves an operational problem related to the setting of the cutout area in an editing function for cutting out a predetermined cutout area. It is an object of the present invention to provide a video printer which can realize a print output obtained by cutting out an area within the frame by a simple operation.

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided a video printer capable of cutting out a predetermined cutout area of a target image and outputting the cutout area. Means for reading a frame image representing the boundary of the cutout area in response to the command, means for detecting a closed loop from the read frame image, means for setting either the inside or outside of the closed loop as a cutout area, and a target image And a means for printing out the cut-out area of the target image.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the concept of the video printer according to the present invention. In the figure, A represents an image to be edited provided from a digital still camera, and B represents a frame image. The frame image B is drawn by a user on a blank sheet of paper using a writing implement such as a pen. An editing area, that is, a cut-out area is set by reading this by a reading unit. In the frame image B, B1 is a frame represented by a free closed curve, and an area surrounded by the frame B1 is defined as a cutout area B2. The editing function for cutting out the cutout area cuts out the cutout area B2 of the image A to be edited and prints out the cutout area. C shows the printout result.

In the present invention, a frame image representing the boundary of the cut-out area is read, a closed loop is detected from the read image, and either the inside or the outside of the closed loop is set as the cut-out area. The operation burden on the user can be reduced.

[0014]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a video printer according to the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an operation switch for receiving commands such as power-on and printing start, and an input signal from the operation switch is given to the CPU 2. An input terminal 3 conforming to a predetermined interface standard is connected to an output terminal (not shown) provided on the digital still camera 4 to transmit image data transferred from the digital still camera 4 to the CPU 2. It is possible to give. CPU
2, a reading switch 5 for receiving a frame image reading command, a reading sensor 6 for reading a frame image, a program storage unit 7 storing a program related to control, a memory 8 as a work memory, and It is connected to a print control unit 9 that controls printing of image data, and when an input signal is given by the reading switch 5, the input terminal 3
Then, the image data provided via the CPU is subjected to an editing function according to a processing procedure described below with the image data as an editing target.

As the reading sensor 6, any element may be used as long as it has a performance of reading an image in two gradations. The memory 8 includes a frame image area 8a for storing frame image data, an edit target image area 8b for storing edit target image data given from the digital still camera 4, and a CPU 2 for processing related to an editing function. Is provided with a work area 8c. Print control unit 9
Supplies a control signal and a step pulse to a head 10 and a feed motor 11 using a stepping motor, respectively, based on a command from the CPU 2, and controls to print out image data. Further, the print controller 9 gives the step pulse to the CPU 2.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in the CPU 2. When an input signal is given by the reading switch 5, the feed motor 11 is driven to convey the frame image sheet from the insertion port of the photographic paper into the reading range of the reading sensor 6 (S1). The conveyance of the frame image sheet by the feed motor 11 continues even after it enters the reading range of the reading sensor 6, during which the reading sensor 6
To read the frame image, and at the same time, print control unit 9
To obtain frame image data by setting the coordinate value of the frame image in the transport direction based on the step pulse given from
This is stored in the frame image area 8a (S2).

An edge detection process is performed on the frame image data stored in the frame image area 8a to specify the shape of the frame, and a predetermined side inside or outside the frame is set as a cutout area (S3). The specification of which of the inside and outside of the frame is to be the cutout area may be received by the operation switch 1. Subsequent to the setting of the cutout area, it is repeatedly determined whether or not the edit target image data is provided from the digital still camera 4 until it is provided (S4), and when it is provided, it is stored in the edit target image area 8b. (S5).

The cutout area of the edit target image data stored in the edit target image area 8b is cut out and stored in the work area 8c (S6). Then, the image data stored in the work area 8c is printed out (S7).

[0019]

According to the video printer of the present invention as described above, the editing function for cutting out a predetermined cut-out area of an image to be edited is excellent in securing the operability for setting the cut-out area necessary for the function expansion. It has the effect.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a video printer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure in a CPU.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the concept of a video printer according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 CPU 5 Reading switch 6 Reading sensor 8 Memory 8a Frame image area 8b Image area to be edited 8c Work area

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A video printer capable of cutting out and printing out a predetermined cutout area of a target image, a means for receiving a cutout area setting command, and a frame representing a boundary of the cutout area according to the setting command. Means for reading an image, means for detecting a closed loop from the read frame image, means for setting either the inside or outside of the closed loop as a cutout area, means for cutting out the cutout area of a target image, Means for printing out the cut-out area.